The Nicaraguan government has cancelled the registration of 169 non-profit non-governmental organizations for allegedly failing to comply with sector regulations, according to a ministerial agreement published Thursday in the official gazette.
The measure represents a new blow to these associations by the administration of President Daniel Ortega, who after the serious anti-government protests of 2018, has withdrawn the registration of thousands of NGOs, universities and the media, and imprisoned and expelled hundreds of opponents.
Among the organizations that have been deregistered are Save the Children Canada, religious groups, livestock and agricultural associations, groups defending the rights of vulnerable groups and foundations that fight diseases such as cancer and AIDS.
“They have failed to comply with their obligations (…) since they did not report their Financial Statements for periods of between 02 and 30 years according to fiscal periods, with detailed breakdowns of income and expenses, trial balance, details of donations and their boards of directors,” says an agreement signed by the Minister of the Interior, María Amelia Coronel, in the Official Gazette.
In mid-August, the government announced several legal reforms to increase control over such entities, at a time when more than 4,000 such associations have been closed, according to human rights defenders.
The legal changes included the imposition of a requirement for government authorization for organizations’ work plans and projects and the elimination of tax exemptions for such entities.
Ten days ago, authorities deregistered another 1,500 NGOs for similar reasons.
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