Central America

Nicaragua dissolves 83 ‘foreign agent’ organizations

AFP

Nicaragua’s parliament on Tuesday dissolved 83 non-governmental organizations including the country’s language academy, accusing them of having violated a law on “foreign agents.”

Dominated by allies of President Daniel Ortega, parliament overwhelmingly approved the government’s request to dissolve the legal entity of these associations without even debating the bill.

The Nicaraguan Academy of Language, founded in 1928, works on Spanish grammar and the Spanish dictionary.

“The Nicaraguan Academy of Language deeply regrets the cancellation of the legal standing of an institution dedicated to the study of the language and the cultivation of Nicaraguan letters,” it said in a statement.

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The move will “hamper the functioning of an institution whose work has contributed to extolling the most precious asset of culture: language,” it added.

All the dissolved bodies are accused of failing to comply with a 2020 law obliging people and organizations receiving funds from abroad to register as “foreign agents” with the interior ministry.

They must also supply financial records to authorities.

The interior ministry said the 83 organizations had “violated and failed to respect their obligations” and had “obstructed the control and surveillance” of their activities.

Around 200 entities such as NGOs and humanitarian organizations have been dissolved by Ortega’s government since mass street protests against his rule in 2018.

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Authorities cracked down on the protests, leaving more than 350 people dead and thousands forced into exile, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The government accuses NGOs that receive foreign funding of attempting to foment a coup d’etat backed by the United States.

Ortega, a 76-year-old former leftist guerrilla, won a fourth successive election last year after all his credible challengers were jailed, in a vote widely dismissed as a farce.

Central America

Panama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua

On Monday (March 31, 2025), Panama extended the safe-conduct pass for former President Ricardo Martinelli by three more days to allow him to travel to Nicaragua, after the Central American country refused to receive him due to concerns over an alleged Interpol arrest warrant.

“The National Government has decided to extend the validity of the safe-conduct pass for an additional seventy-two (72) hours, until the end of Thursday, April 3, 2025,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated in a communiqué. The original permit was set to expire Monday at midnight (05:00 GMT on Tuesday).

The Foreign Ministry explained that regarding the ‘humanitarian asylum’ granted to Martinelli last Thursday, which was set to expire Monday at midnight, the Nicaraguan government requested clarifications about an apparent Interpol alert, which had already been dismissed as inadmissible.

Additionally, the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice, as the highest authority of the Judicial Branch, stated on Monday that it had “no objections” to granting asylum and a safe-conduct to Martinelli, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.

Central America

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed on Monday that during last week’s meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, she urged Mexico to reinforce its border with Guatemala and share biometric datawith U.S. authorities.

“I gave her a list of things that President Trump would love to see. And it was exceptional. It was supposed to be a half-hour meeting, but we talked for nearly two hours. It was very productive,” Noem said in an interview with Fox News.

The Homeland Security Secretary requested that Sheinbaum, who has already deployed 10,000 National Guard troopsalong Mexico’s northern border with the U.S., also secure Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.

Noem added that she also asked the Mexican president to share biometric data with the U.S., to which Sheinbaum responded that she was “willing to discuss it,” although she acknowledged that it could be a controversial issue in her country.

Central America

Panama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending

Panama’s National Police clarified on Sunday that an Interpol alert request for former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) is still under review and has yet to be confirmed. Martinelli was granted a safe-conduct pass last Thursday to leave the Nicaraguan embassy, where he has been seeking asylum since February 2024 after being convicted of corruption.

“The National Police clarifies that there is currently an active process for an Interpol alert, requested by Judge Baloisa Marquínez, against former President Ricardo Martinelli. This request must be analyzed by Interpol’s General Secretariat (headquartered in France) for approval or rejection. If approved, it will be notified to member countries,” the police stated in a press release sent to EFE.

According to the statement, “at the moment, it remains an ongoing procedure, and former President Martinelli does not have a confirmed alert.”

The announcement came hours after National Police Director Jaime Fernández had told the press that an “Interpol alert” for Martinelli had been received on Friday.