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The U.S. government announced on Saturday the imposition of visa restrictions on more than 250 Nicaraguan officials connected to the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The measure is intended to pressure the government of Managua for its ongoing human rights violations, its authoritarianism, and its role in the irregular trafficking of migrants to the U.S. southern border, stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The action was confirmed by the State Department and supported by the Cuban-American politician, who reiterated the hardline stance of the Donald Trump administration against what he called “a regime that is an enemy of humanity.”
"As I stated during my first visit to the region, the Nicaraguan regime is a threat to the security of the United States. Today, the State Department took steps to impose visa restrictions on more than 250 officials of the Ortega-Murillo regime, targeting the accomplices of their authoritarian dynasty," Rubio expressed on his official X account.
Washington accuses the Sandinista regime of using migration as a political weapon, facilitating the transit of irregular migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and other nations to U.S. territory.
In recent months, the Trump administration has intensified its rhetoric against governments it deems complicit with the human trafficking networks in the region.
According to official sources, the new round of sanctions includes officials from the Judiciary, the Army, the National Police, mayors, legislators, and economic operators aligned with Ortega's government.
Migration restrictions are added to the numerous economic, financial, and diplomatic sanctions that the United States has imposed against Nicaragua since 2018, when massive protests against the regime erupted, brutally suppressed by official forces, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of exiles.
International organizations such as the UN and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights have documented systematic violations of human rights, political repression, press censorship, and religious persecution under the Ortega-Murillo regime.
The decision by the U.S. is part of a new foreign policy approach toward Latin America under Trump's leadership, focused on border security, combating authoritarian regimes, and curbing migratory exodus.
The administration has made it clear that it will not tolerate the existence of "dictatorships allied with hostile powers" nor the use of Central American territory as a bridge for illegal entry into the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions about U.S. Visa Restrictions on the Ortega-Murillo Regime and Their Context in the Region
Why has the U.S. imposed visa restrictions on officials of the Ortega-Murillo regime?
The U.S. has imposed visa restrictions on more than 250 Nicaraguan officials to pressure the Ortega-Murillo government due to its human rights violations, authoritarianism, and its role in the irregular trafficking of migrants to the U.S. This measure is part of a broader approach by the Trump administration to combat authoritarian regimes in the region.
What other sanctions has the U.S. imposed against Nicaragua?
In addition to visa restrictions, the U.S. has imposed multiple economic, financial, and diplomatic sanctions against Nicaragua since 2018, when Ortega's regime brutally suppressed mass protests. These sanctions aim to hold the Nicaraguan government accountable for its abuses and violations of human rights.
How does the visa restriction policy affect charter flights between Cuba and Nicaragua?
The U.S. has shut down more than 70 charter flight routes, including those between Cuba and Nicaragua, as part of sanctions against travel agencies that facilitate irregular migration. This measure underscores the U.S. commitment to combat human trafficking and the use of irregular routes for migration.
What has been the reaction of the Cuban government to the new restrictions from the U.S.?
The Cuban government, led by Miguel Díaz-Canel, has responded with indignation to the statements made by Marco Rubio and the visa restrictions, accusing the U.S. of being responsible for the migratory exodus due to the tightening of the blockade. Díaz-Canel has described the actions of the U.S. as "neo-fascist" and has criticized the attempt by the United States to govern the world.
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