Regime has canceled over a thousand NGO's in Nicaragua

The Nicaraguan regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo canceled the legal status of another 200 NGOs on July 13 and 14, bringing a total of over 1,000 civil organizations they’ve annulled since the end of 2018.

On Thursday, July 14, the National Assembly, dominated by the Sandinista Front, rubber-stamped a decree introduced on July 12, eliminating 100 associations and foundations. These outlawed NGOs joined another 100 that were canceled on July 13, via another decree that had been presented on July 6.

Their vote made a total of 1,070 non-profits annulled by the dictatorship in the last three and a half years. In these first seven months of 2022 alone, they’ve closed 996 organizations of civil society.

Both decrees were approved with the exact same numbers as the past cancellation decrees: 75 votes in favor and 16 abstentions. The Ortega deputy in charge of the process, Filiberto Rodriguez, has defended the massive closure of foundations, associations, and organizations as part of an “ordering process”. He asserts that the Interior Ministry (Mingob) has collected enough information to demonstrate that the non-profit organizations closed down have supposedly failed to comply with the laws that regulate them.

This new sweep of NGOs occurred five days after agents working for the regime took over the installations of seven organizations whose legal status was cancelled months before. The confiscated properties belonged to ANIA; CEPS of Ciudad Sandino; Puntos de Encuentro; La Corriente; Operacion Sonrisa; Cantera; and the Humboldt Center.

On June 17, the Police also occupied the sites of the “Turktan Sirpi” Asociacion Infantil de Niños y Niñas Trabajadores [Association for child laborers], and the “Cuculmeca” Asociacion de Educacion y Comunicacion, bothin the northern city of Jinotega, fifteen days after their cancellation.

When Law 1115, the Law to Regulate and Control Non-profit Organizations, was urgently pushed through by the government-controlled legislature in April 2022, legal experts warned that Ortega would use it to legalize the confiscations that were already ongoing, even though Nicaragua’s Constitution prohibits them.

The canceled organizations have no right to appeal the legislature’s decision. In many cases their former directors have denounced the fact that Mingob blocked them from complying with their mandated requirements, including refusing to receive the paperwork required under the “Foreign Agents’ Law”, which lawyers have accused of being an unconstitutional law.

Mingob’s blanket accusations against these outlawed organizations centers on violations to three recently passed laws: Law 1115 controlling non-profits; Law 977 against money laundering, financing terrorism and financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and Law 1040, the regulation of foreign agents.

Social Impact

Over 30% of the 1,070 cancelled non-profits worked in different development areas; over 15% oversaw social projects in underserved communities or with at-risk populations. The recent closure of Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity Association was one of the actions that generated the greatest indignation in national and international circles, for ending the charitable labors that the religious order maintained.

Eighteen Missionary sisters were expelled from Nicaragua on July 6, and forced into the neighboring Costa Rica. These sisters attended a daycare center, a home for girls who had been abandoned or were victims of abuses, an old age home, and a program for academic reinforcement. All of these closed on June 15.

The regime has closed environmental NGOs as well as others with programs in education; advocacy for the rights of children, women and adolescents; indigenous rights; culture; and health initiatives. In all cases, the closures were mandated with no concern for the impact among the former beneficiaries.

Here is the list of the latest 100 closures affected the following organizations:

1. Asociacion de Habitantes de Residential Casa Real (AHCARE);
2. Asociacion Servicios Agropecuarios y Desarrollo Rural (AGRODERSA);
3. Fundacion Tercer Milenium de lntegracion Social (FUTEMIS);
4. Centro de lnvestigacion de la Realidad de América Latina (CIRA),
5.  Asociacion NicarapJense Certro de Capacitacion y Actualizacion Profesiona! (ASONSECAP),
6. Asociacion Erasmo;
7.  Asociacion de Médicos Carlos Roberto Huembés (AMECARH);
8. Fundacion de Excombatientes por la Paz y el Desarrollo (FEPADE);
9. Fundacion Acahualinca, (FUNDACAH);
10. Asociación Cultural Nicaraguense Pro Desarrollo (ACUNIC);
11.  Asociacion Siki!ta Mayanpnina Sauni Kulwi Laiwital Na: “Asociacion para el Desarrollo Gomunal de Sikilta o El PalomaL’;
12.  Asociacion Union de Empresarios y Ejecutivos para el Desarrollo Nacional, (UNYD);
13. Fundacion Participation y Desarrollo, (PARDES);
14. Asociacion para el Fortalecimiento, Desarrollo y Promocion a la Pequeña y Mediana Empresa, (AFODEPPYME);
15. 1s Fundacion Amigos de la Universidad
16. Asociacior de Comerciantes Co+andante Israel Lewites, (ASOCIACION ISRAEL LEWITES);
17. Asociacion Colombofila de Nicaragua, (ACN),
18. Asociacion de Exmineros del Atlantico Norte, (AMAN);
19. ASociacior Nicaragua Casa Grande, (h!CALPULL!),
20. Fundacion Juan y Pina Wong;
21. Asociacion de Consultores para el Desarrollo Rural Nicaraguense, (ACODER);
22. Fundacion Nica-Amor a lo Nuestro, (FUNICAN);
23. Asociacion Solidaridad, Aportando al Cambio (ASOL),
24. Asociacion de Pequeños Comerciantes del Mercado Israel Lewites, (APECOME),
25. Asociacion Nacional de la Resistencia Nicarapuense;
26. Asociacion de Floricultura y Ornamentales de Nicaragua, (AFLORNIC); 2?
27. Fundacion Periodismo y Cultura “William Ramirez”;
28. Asociacion Desarrollo Social Comunitaria de San Miguel, (A.S.M );
29. Fundacion Nicaraguense para el Desarrollo Social del Area Urbana y Rural, (FUNDESUR);
30. Asociacion Oncologica de Nicaragua, (ASONCONIC);
31. Asociacion Nicaraguense de Capacitadores en Mediation, (ACAPEM),
32. Asociacion de Reposicion Forestal y Productores y Comercializadores de Carbon del Municipio de Villa Carlos Fonseca, (APROCAFOR);
33. Asociacion de Exalumnos Lasallistas dé Bluefields, (ASELAB);
34. Fundacion de Investigacion y Desarrollo Holistico en Educacion Sexual;
35. Fundacion dna Mano Amipa para el Desarrollo de Nicaragua, (UMADENIC);
36. Asociacion Centro Nicaraguense de Estudios Laborales, (GENDEL);
37. Fundacion lnstituto Visual Matamoros;
38. Asociacion de Padres de Familia y Educadores del Colegio Teresiano de Managua, (APAFECT);
39. Asociacién de Desarro!lo Agr!cola, Social y Comunitario de la Comarca San Francisco del Departamento de Masaya, (ADAS);
40. Asociacion para el Desarrollo Integral de la Comunidad de “El Arenal”, (A.D.I.C.A);
41. Asociacion de Desarrollo Rural de las Pilas Occidentales, Masaya, (ADRUPOMA);
42. Asociacior Centro de !rtegracion, Desarrollo Orbano Rura Masaya, (CINDURMA);
43.  Asociacion Comunal para el Desarrollo de Proyectos de Agua Potable Otros Las Flores;
44. Asociacion Integral para el Desarrollo Rural La Escoba, (AIDRE);
45. Asociaci0r !rsttuto de Ayuda Hu+anitara, NEEDED;
46. Asociacion Voz y Accion para el Futuro, AVAF;
47. Asociacion Colectivo Rural Agricola El Aguacate, C R.A.A.;
48. Asociacion Comunitaria Rura! Roman Esteban, A C R.R.E.;
49. Asociacion de Pobladores de Cerro Los Prado de Santa Teresa;
50. Asociacion de Pobladores de Aguas Calientes de Acayo;
51. Asociacion de Desarrollo Economico Laboral de Plastinic, (ADELPLAST);
52. Asociacion de Propietarios de Rancho Los Perros, (RANCHO LOS PERROS ASSOCIATION);
53. Asociacion de Conarcas Rurales de la Frontera del Pacifico Sur de Nicaragua, (ASOSUR);
54. Asociacion de Comerciante del Sur, (ASOCOSUR);
55. Asociacion para la Investigation y Desarrollo de los Pueblos, (ANDES);
56. Asociacion Regional de Semillas de Occidente, (ASORES EM-OCCIDENTE);
57. Asociacion de Rescatadores de la Cultura indigena de Sutiava, (ADIAC);
58. ”Asociacion de Responsables Legates de Pacientes de Salud Mental, (ASREPALMEN);
59. Asociacion para la Juventud de Leon, (A.J.L.);
60. Asociacion San Fernando;
61. Fundacion de Desarrollo Municipal Crédito y Servicio Social (FUNDESAMC Y SS);
62. Asociacion Comunidad “Varela”;
63. Asociacion Cultural Capullo, (ACC);
64. Asociacibn Co+vnidad “Los Araditos”;
65. Asociacion Comunidad “El Pavon”;
66.  Asociacion Comunidad “El Zacaton”;
67. Asociacion Gomunidad Sub-Urbano;
68. Fundacion Henequén
69. Asociacion de Apicu!tores de Boaco “José Rodriguez Amador”, (APIBO, J.R A.)”;
70. Fundacion para la Promotion del Desarrollo Comercial, Industrial, Social y Ecologico (FUNPRODECODISO);
71. Asociacion para la Prom0cior del Desarr0!!0    la S0!idari6a6 (PRODESOL);
72. Asociacion Comunitaria Espiritu Santo, (ACES),
73. Asociacion para la Promocion y Organization del Campesino;
74. Asociacion Municipal de Ecoturismo El Castillo, (APEC);
75. Asociacion Centro Popular de Cultura de San Miguel;
76. Fundacion para el Desarrollo Comunitario con Pequeños Productores, (FUDECOPP);
77. Asociacion Paz y Reconciliacion, (APARE);
78. Asociacion para el Desarrol!o Economico y Social Turna-La Dalia (ADESTUDA);
79. Asociacion Destino y Esperanza de la Tierra (A.D.E.T.);
80. Asociacion Accion para el Desarrollo Campesino;
81. Fundacién para el Desarrollo Integral Humano – Tamarindo de Oro, (FUNDIH);
82. Fundacion para el Desarrollo Economico y Social Sostenible del Norte, FUNDESNOR;
83. Asociacion Comunitaria de San Pedro, ACOSAP;
84. Asociacion Union de Desarrollo El Chaparral, UNDECHAP;
85. Asociacion de Microempresarios Taller Comunal de Ceramica de Ducuale Grande;
86. Fundacion Comité de Mujeres por la Unidad “Luisa Amanda Espinoza”, FUNCOMULAE;
87. Asociacion Alianza Internacional de Reforestation en Nicaragua, AIRES – NIC);
88. Asociacion de Pobladores de la Union de Esteli;
89. Fundacion Evangélica de Programas y Pro/ectos be Desarroiio sostenioie, ruNDAGlON PEPRODES,
90. Asociacion de Maestros Jubilados del Departamento de Nueva Sepovia “Profesora Maria Celina
91. Pagvaga Morcada , (A.M.A.J U l.S,E.),
92. Asociacion para el Desarrollo Humano Integral (ADESHI);
93. Asociacion de Mujeres lndigenas de la Costa Atlantica “Kimat”, (KUS INDIAN MARIN ASLATAKANKA);
94. Fundacion de Mujeres lndigenas y Multiétnicas de la Costa Atlantica de Nicaragua, (FUMIMCAN),
95. Asociacion de las Comunidades Miskitas del Sector del Rio Coco Abajo, (MISRAD);
96. Asociacion para el Desarrollo Integral de los Pescadores Artesanales de la Region Autorona del Atlântico Norte, (ADIPAR);
97. Asociacion para el Desarrollo Sostenible del Municipio de Prinzapolka, (PRINSU), 9/.    Aso iaci4r Civil Raices Sc!idarias,
98. Asociacion Movimiento por la Defensa y la Dignidad de Corn Island,
99. Fundacion para la Restauracion Forestal de la Repion Autonoma Atlantico Ser, (FUREFORAAS); y
100. Asociacion Comité de Enlace Rama, (COERA).

     This article was originally published in spanish in Confidencial and translated by Havana Times