The Ministry of the Interior (Migob) canceled the first 17 Non-Profit Organizations (OSFL) of 2023, continuing the repressive wave against civil society. With this recent cancellation, the Ortega regime has closed 3,199 organizations from the end of December 2018 to date.
Among the organizations whose legal status was canceled is the Association of Private Banks of Nicaragua (Asobanp), which is accused of failing to comply with national legislation for having its board of directors expired and not reporting its financial statements.
“In default, they did not report financial statements for the 2020-2021 period, board of directors expired from 04-03-2020”, indicates the ministerial agreement signed by the Minister of the Interior, María Amelia Coronel and published this February 3 in La Gaceta, Official diary.
Asobanp indicates in its Web page which was founded on June 23, 1993, and on April 12, 1994 it was granted its legal personality as a non-profit civil association. They also indicate that on July 29, 1994, the Association of Private Banks of Nicaragua was registered in the Registry of Associations of the Department of Registration and Control of Associations of the Ministry of the Interior of Nicaragua.
They are defined as “a civil, apolitical, non-profit organization that brings together all the private sector banks in Nicaragua that facilitates the exchange of ideas and experiences of common interest, forming criteria for a constant improvement in the conditions of the banking environment. and strengthening reciprocal relations between the Government and the private sector”.
Asobanp’s president is Carlos Argüello Robelo, manager of Banco de la Producción (Banpro). The vice-presidency is held by Juan Carlos Sansón Caldera, from Banco de América Central (BAC) and the treasurer is Marco Antonio López from Banco Ficohsa.
Other members of the board of directors are Jaime Altamirano from Banco de Finanzas, Alejandro Alfonso Ramírez from Banco LaFise Bancentro and Ana Celina Gallardo, from Banco Avanz.
Migob’s main argument for the cancellation is that the NPOs failed to comply with national legislation by not reporting their financial statements.
The other canceled organizations
The other organizations canceled are the Casa Xalteva Association, the A.MAR.TE Foundation, the Association of Retirees of the Department of León (Asojudel), the Central American Association of Ibero-American Breed Horse Breeders (Iberonic) and the Central Market Merchants Association (Acomercen). .
They also left without legal status the Nicaraguan Association of Lawyers and Notaries (Anayn), the Association for the Development of Santo Tomás del Norte (Asodesn), the Association of Chronic Renal Insufficiency Nueva Esperanza (Adedircne Association), the Amor Abundante Foundation (FAA) and the Association of Nicaraguan Mayors.
Other canceled organizations are the Nicaraguan Music Documentary Historical Fund Association (Fonmunic), Dimensions of Development Association (Dides), Association of Demobilized SMP Nicaragua Hope and Reconciliation, Cihualcoalt Civil Association for Comprehensive Socio-Economic Development (Asocideis), the Managua Twenty-Thirty Club and the Isla Foundation (FIS).
The crusade against organized civil society has caused the closure of NGOs that worked in defense of human rights, the environment, the rights of women and children, local and sustainable development, health, education, provided humanitarian aid and attended vulnerable sectors, through charities.
