The Ortega deputy Filiberto Rodríguez presented this Wednesday before the National Assembly a Legislative Decree Initiative for the Cancellation of Legal Personality of 25 NGOs; among them Operation Smile, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy, Funides and Centro Humboldt.
These are the organizations that will be cancelled:
1. Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development.
2. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy.
3. Ethics and Transparency Civic Group.
4. Vital Voices Nicaragua Association.
5. Foundation for Freedom.
6. Agora Nicaragua Foundation.
7. Foundation for the Autonomy and Development of the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua (Fadcanic).
8. Nicaraguan Youth Entrepreneurs Association.
9. Harvard Club Association of Nicaragua.
10. Humboldt Center.
11. Foundation for Nicaraguan Human Dignity.
12. Matagalpa Social Club.
13. Citizen Crusade for Democracy Foundation.
14. Kolping Foundation Nicaragua.
15. Foundation Institute for Observation for Democracy and Human Rights.
16. March 8 Women’s Collective.
17. Scholarship Fund Foundation for Alumni of Colegio Centroamérica.
18 Local Development Fund.
19. Nicaraguan Women’s Forum.
20. Operation Smile.
21. Nicaraguan Association of Journalists.
22. Center for Justice and Human Rights of the Atlantic Coast.
23. Christian Center for Human Rights.
24. Center for the Prevention of Violence and Nicaraguan Democratic Civic Association.
25. Nicaraguan Democratic Civic Association.
Related note: National Assembly, the strong arm of Ortega issued 157 laws and 599 decrees in five years to keep him in power
According to the document, between the statement of reasons for the decree sent by the deputy, who chairs the Commission for Peace, Defense, Governance and Human Rights of the National Assembly, these organizations have not reported their boards of directors and their financial reports according to the periods taxes and detailed breakdowns as established by law.
“With the aforementioned actions, these 25 associations/foundations have hindered the control and surveillance by the Department of Non-Profit Civil Associations for the Regulation of Non-Profit Organizations, which is carried out by the Ministry of the Interior for this purpose,” dictates the initiative issued by the Ortega deputy, in which he mentions the Foreign Agents Law and the Law against Money Laundering.
In the case of Fundación Violeta, since February 2021 it announced the closure of its functions so as not to submit to the Foreign Agents Law. As for Operación Sonrisa, it is an organization that provides comprehensive care and reconstructive surgeries to children, youth and adults with cleft lip and cleft palate.
State could seize property
The document details for this purpose of the cancellation, the Department of Non-Profit Civil Associations of the Ministry of the Interior must proceed to cancel the respective registration of each of these six associations within a period not exceeding 72 hours, “putting in knowledge to the legal representative of each one or whoever performs functions in such a way that they proceed to the delivery of the law books, seal of the respective associations and other documents that the authority could require.
It adds that Article 2 of the Destination of Assets and Shares establishes that “The goods and shares that belong to the associations, will have prior liquidation, the destination foreseen in the Constitutive act or in its Statute. If nothing has been arranged in this regard, these will become the property of the State in accordance with the Law on the matter.
The regime of Daniel Ortega began the hunt against civil organizations since 2018 and to date the deputies of the National Assembly have canceled the legal status of more than 87 NGOs.