The Government of Nicaragua, through the Ministry of the Interior, ordered the closure of another 25 Nicaraguan NGOs, including two that support women victims of violence and one that rescues young people from gangs, the Legislative Branch reported this Saturday.
With these new 25 associations, the number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that the Executive of President Daniel Ortega has requested to be banned so far in May rises to 75, and to 212 since December 2018.
In Nicaragua, with the vote of the Sandinista deputies and their allies, who are the majority in the National Assembly (Parliament), the legal status of at least 187 NGOs has been canceled since December 2018, eight months following a popular revolt broke out -originated by controversial social security reforms- described as an attempted coup by Ortega.
According to the Government of Nicaragua, the NGOs have failed to comply with the laws on the matter, which has been rejected by those affected.
In the new list, the Interior portfolio proposed to Parliament to cancel the legal status of the Pro-Rescue Foundation for Youth in Gangs, the Civil Foundation for the Support of Women Victims of Violence, and the Alternative Center Association for Surviving Women of Violence Izel.
Other NGOs proposed to be annulled are the Fundación Puntos de Encuentro, the Orientation Center Foundation for the Exportation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (COEMIPYME), the Center for International Relations Foundation, and the Women and Development and Democracy Foundation in Nicaragua.
In addition, NGOs dedicated to governance, democracy, citizen participation, forestry development, and community development.
PASSED ACCOUNTS?
According to the Government, these NGOs have transgressed and failed to comply with their obligations under the laws that govern NGOs, among which they mentioned the General Law for the regulation and control of non-profit organizations -in force since April 6-, and the Law once morest money laundering and terrorist financing.
The bill establishes that the goods and shares of the affected NGOs will have prior liquidation.
The representatives of some of the canceled NGOs, including the Permanent Commission on Human Rights (CPDH), have denounced that the Nicaraguan authorities refuse to receive the documents from the organizations and then accuse them of non-compliance and that it is a matter of a past account for his critical position.
The Society of Jesus, which was closed by two NGOs, does not accept the Government’s arguments either.
“We want to ensure that both the Central American Historical Institute (IHCA) and the Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli Association, in the exercise of their mission at the service of the Nicaraguan people, always observed and complied with the laws in force in the country and the Political Constitution,” said the Jesuit. Society of Jesus in a statement this week.
Among the organizations that have been affected are NGOs that defend human rights, medical, feminist, educational, universities, environmentalists, indigenous, journalists and think tanks, among others.
The Executive has also canceled the registrations and perpetual numbers of four American and six European NGOs.
Nicaragua has been going through a political and social crisis since April 2018, which has been accentuated following the controversial general elections on November 7, in which Daniel Ortega was re-elected for a fifth term, fourth consecutive and second along with his wife, Rosario Murillo. , as vice president, with her main contenders in prison.