Central America
Nicaragua Mandates Income Tax for Churches, Closes 151 NGOs in Sweeping Crackdown
The Nicaraguan government will require churches and religious entities to pay income tax and has ordered the closure of 151 NGOs, marking an unprecedented tightening of control over these organizations since the 2018 protests.
“Repeal” the clause of the “Tax Concertation Law” that exempted churches, denominations, religious confessions, and foundations from this obligation, according to the resolution published in the official newspaper La Gaceta, signed by President Daniel Ortega.
Now, these entities will be subject to taxes of up to 30% of their annual income, depending on the amount at the end of the fiscal year (January-December).
The fiscal changes were introduced through reforms to the “Law on Control of Non-Profit Organizations” and the “Regulation of Foreign Agents,” which will now require NGOs to carry out their projects jointly with state institutions.
The government also canceled the registration of 151 non-governmental organizations, mostly international and sectoral chambers of commerce, three days after closing 1,500 NGOs, in what the opposition in exile described as an attack on civil society.
Last Friday, Ortega’s government issued a controversial regulation forcing NGOs to work exclusively in “partnership alliances” with state entities.
Central America
El Salvador’s MARN monitors ongoing seismic activity in La Unión department
Seismic activity in the Conchagua area and its surroundings, located in the department of La Unión, continues to accumulate events, surpassing 1,350 aftershocks as of Wednesday morning, according to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN).
As of 6:00 AM on December 18th, a total of 1,351 earthquakes have been recorded, of which 176 were felt, according to the data published by the Ministry of Environment. The seismic activity in this area of the eastern part of the country began on December 8th after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake was recorded at 9:50 PM. The magnitudes of the aftershocks have ranged between 2.5 and 5.0.
The Ministry of Environment continues to monitor seismic activity in this region and throughout El Salvador to take appropriate measures and ensure the safety of the Salvadoran population.
Sports
Real Madrid clinches fourth Intercontinental Cup with 3-0 victory over Pachuca
Real Madrid crowned themselves champions of their fourth Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday, defeating Mexican club Pachuca 3-0 in Doha, thanks to goals from Frenchman Kylian Mbappé and Brazilians Rodrygo and Vinicius.
The ‘Merengues’ thus capped off a spectacular 2024 year, winning five titles. Before this success in Qatar, they had already claimed the Spanish League, the UEFA Champions League, and the Super Cups of Spain and Europe.
Mbappé, who made his return after a minor muscle injury, capitalized on a pass from Brazilian Vinicius in the 37th minute, who dribbled past goalkeeper Carlos Moreno, to finish from close range. It was the first shot on target for Real Madrid.
The team doubled their lead with another brilliant goal from Rodrygo, who feigned a shot to beat his defenders and created enough space to take a strike from the edge of the area, beating Moreno in the 53rd minute.
For a few moments, the goal was under review after Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela was called to check a potential offside by Jude Bellingham.
However, the referee concluded that the Englishman did not interfere with the play and the goal was allowed.
Five minutes later, Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to use his hand to stop a dangerous ball, which Salomón Rondón almost put into the net.
Mbappé, who had scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final that was lost to Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the same Lusail stadium, left the pitch in the 62nd minute on the decision of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who lifted his 15th title with the club—one more than the legendary Miguel Muñoz.
When it seemed like the players of Uruguayan Guillermo Almada had gained some initiative, Oussama Idrissi fouled Lucas Vázquez inside the area, and the penalty was reviewed via VAR.
Vinicius converted the spot-kick in the 84th minute with a low, powerful shot that Moreno touched but could not save.
The newly named FIFA Player of the Year had another chance to score, while Ángel Mena managed to head the ball into the net before the 90-minute mark, but his goal was ruled offside.
Central America
Amnesty International condemns Nicaragua’s unprecedented repression of dissent
On Tuesday, Amnesty International (AI) stated that no one in Nicaragua is safe from the “repressive model” imposed by the government of Daniel Ortega, which threatens human rights in an “unprecedented” manner.
“Nicaragua’s repression leaves no one safe,” said Ana Piquer, AI’s Americas director, in a statement.
“From indigenous leaders, journalists, human rights defenders, and anyone seen as a risk to the government’s policies, the authorities continue to solidify the climate of fear in which dissent is punished with imprisonment, exile, or disappearance,” she added.
Since the anti-government protests in 2018, which Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, consider an attempted coup promoted by the United States, hundreds of people have been “unjustly imprisoned” and many have been forced into exile, according to AI.
At least 300 people died in the protests, according to the United Nations.
The human rights organization urged Ortega’s government to “immediately halt all repressive practices,” ensure human rights, and end the “criminalization of dissent.”
Recently, the NGO Colectivo Nicaragua Nunca Más reported over 2,000 arbitrary arrests and at least 229 cases of torture of detainees since 2018.
Additionally, Amnesty labeled imprisoned Miskito indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera as a “prisoner of conscience” and demanded his release along with dozens of other detainees.
The Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners in Nicaragua currently lists 45 people detained for political reasons in the country.
Since February 2023, Ortega’s government has stripped about 450 politicians, businessmen, journalists, intellectuals, human rights activists, and religious figures of their Nicaraguan nationality after they were exiled or expelled from the country.
Amnesty demanded “an end to the practice of arbitrary deprivation of nationality, as well as the full restoration of the rights of those deprived of it,” and urged the international community not to remain “indifferent” to the situation in Nicaragua.
Ortega, a 79-year-old former guerrilla fighter who ruled Nicaragua in the 1980s and has been in power again since 2007, enacted a broad constitutional reform in November that stipulates that “traitors to the homeland” lose their Nicaraguan nationality, a charge leveled against most of the exiled individuals.
Trump criticizes Panama Canal fees and demands U.S. control over strategic waterway
Putin vows retaliation following drone attack on luxury building in Kazan
Small plane crashes in Gramado, Brazil, killing nine people
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
-
Central America5 days agoAmnesty International condemns Nicaragua’s unprecedented repression of dissent
-
Sports5 days agoReal Madrid clinches fourth Intercontinental Cup with 3-0 victory over Pachuca
-
Central America5 days agoEl Salvador’s MARN monitors ongoing seismic activity in La Unión department
-
International5 days agoMexico requests extradition of ‘Mini Lic’ for murder of journalist Javier Valdez
-
International5 days agoMexican government to use church atriums for gun surrender program to combat violence
-
International4 days agoThe Court of the IADH rules out measures in favor of Gustavo Petro amid investigations into his campaign
-
International4 days agoTrump links Mike Johnson’s re-election to meeting his budget requirements
-
International4 days agoThe Constitutional Court of Peru annuls the sentence against the leader of Dina Boluarte’s former party
-
International5 days agoCuba’s government stresses openness to serious, respectful U.S. relations
-
International5 days agoBegoña Gómez defends her actions as investigations into her role at Complutense University continue
-
International4 days agoGuterres calls for “avoiding at all costs” the integration of AI into nuclear weapons
-
International5 days agoNASA delays return of two astronauts stranded on ISS until at least March
-
International2 days agoAt least ten dead in Iran in a bus accident in the west of the country
-
Internacionales21 hours agoSinaloa security secretary resigns amid wave of violence and cartel infighting
-
International2 days agoHelene, the violent hurricane that destroyed the southeastern United States
-
International5 days agoUkraine’s security a priority as NATO discusses future of conflict with Russia
-
International2 days agoAt least 21 dead and 61 injured after Israel’s last attacks in Gaza
-
International5 days agoPatient hospitalized with severe avian flu case in Louisiana, CDC reports
-
International21 hours agoTrump criticizes Panama Canal fees and demands U.S. control over strategic waterway
-
International21 hours agoSmall plane crashes in Gramado, Brazil, killing nine people
-
International21 hours agoPutin vows retaliation following drone attack on luxury building in Kazan
-
International4 days agoAn appeals court disqualifies the prosecutor in the election case against Trump in Georgia
-
International2 days agoNew Syrian leader addresses with the United States the lifting of sanctions for reconstruction
-
International2 days agoMilei closed about 200 areas of the Public Administration in its first year of Government
-
International2 days agoThe piangua, the mangrove mollusk that empowers women in the Colombian Pacific
-
International4 days agoThe new French prime minister launches an ultimatum to the moderate parties and the left rejects his offer