The Government of Nicaragua, through the General Directorate of Customs Services (DGA), informed this Wednesday, January 25 that the entry into the national territory of photographic or cinematographic television, digital cameras or camcorders is restricted under the traveling regime.
Through a circular addressed to customs officials and users in general, the general director of the DGA, Eddy Medrano, indicated that the traveler must obtain prior to entering Nicaragua an endorsement from the National Cinematheque“the one that will present to the Nicaraguan customs authority”.
Last October, the National Assembly—dominated by the FSLN—approved a reform to the Law Creating the National Cinematheque, which empowered it to oversee audiovisual and film productions made in Nicaragua.
The legislation turned the state-owned Cinemateca Nacional, previously attached to the Nicaraguan Institute of Culture (INC), into an autonomous entity under the rectory of the Presidency of the Republic. The law was described by specialists as one more link in the regime’s chain of censorship by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The law incorporated a new chapter in which an Audiovisual Cinematographic Activity Registry is created, in which natural and legal persons, national or foreign, dedicated to cinematographic and audiovisual activity, must register.
The creation of this record arose after a journalistic team from TV Azteca, led by the Mexican journalist Otoniel Martínez, was in Nicaragua for two weeks —last July— documenting the daily life of Nicaraguans despite the state of police siege. The communicator along with two other colleagues entered Nicaragua, from Costa Rica, as tourists, to circumvent the control that the dictatorship maintains over national and foreign journalists.
Medrano explained that “the customs authority will proceed to register the entry of this type of merchandise in the temporary import regime with re-export in the same state of the customs computer system.”
The traveler, at the time of entering Nicaragua, can only introduce as part of his luggage, a photographic device and a long-sighted glass, according to the circular.
“Amounts greater than those allowed will be subject to compliance with applicable tax obligations,” he noted.
Restrict the entry of binoculars
Likewise, the DGA prohibited the entry into the national territory of night vision binoculars, “because they are for the exclusive use of the Nicaraguan Army and the National Police”, in accordance with the Special Law for the Control and Regulation of Firearms, Ammunition , Explosives and other related materials.
When the traveler brings “binoculars of any kind” with them or in their luggage, the administration or customs delegation will carry out, in coordination with the National Police, so that the proper “certificate of non-regulation” is issued in favor of the traveler, with which the entry of binoculars would be released when they are not night vision, explained the DGA.
In the case of tourists, when the traveler brings with him or in his luggage night vision binoculars, the customs administration or delegation, in coordination with the National Police, will hold said merchandise.
The traveler may subsequently request the withdrawal of the retained merchandise, with the presentation of the “withholding form” at the time of departure through the same checkpoint where they entered, according to the information.
“The binoculars that do not obtain the certificate of non-regulation by the National Police and that are not withdrawn by the traveler within three months after the retention made, will be issued by delivery certificate to the higher authority of the National Police”, notified the DGA.
