Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, pose for a photo after voting in the general elections at a polling station in Managua, Nicaragua, on Nov. 6, 2016. On Thursday, the Biden administration mand more than 350 Nicara Photo by Rodrigo Arangua/EPA
Nov. 14 (UPI) -- The United States on Thursday announced entry bans against more than 350 members the Nicaraguan National Police, as the Biden administration continues to clamp down on the oppressive conduct of the Central American nation's President Daniel Ortega.
The visa restrictions were announced by the U.S. State Department, which said the Nicaraguan National Police force has targeted civil society with attacks that have "profoundly denied their people access to important services and the freedom to organize, to express opinions, and to shape their futures free from fear of reprisal."
"NNP actions weaken democratic processes and foster an environment where dissent or the perception of dissent is met with punitive, often brutal, measures rather than open dialogue and debate," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The United States has imposed visa restrictions on more than 1,750 Nicaraguan officials since President Joe Biden issued a proclamation in November 2021 permitting the State Department to bar entry to anyone responsible for actions that threaten democracy in Nicaragua.
Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, have ruled the country since 2006 and have been accused of manipulating elections to maintain his rule since.
They have also been increasing their oppression of dissent. According to Human Rights Watch, the Ortega government continued to tighten its grip on power by cracking down on critics and closing media outlets, NGOs and universities in 2023.
In the same year, the U.S. Commerce Department added the Nicaraguan National Police to its export Entity list over alleged human rights abuses.
In May, the State Department imposed visa restrictions against more than 250 members of the Ortega government.
According to the State Department on Thursday, more than 5,500 NGOs in the country have had their legal status revoked in Ortega's continued dismantling of civic spaces.
"The United States again urges Ortega and Murillo to cease threats, harassment, and unjust detention of advocates for civil society, freedoms of expression, religion or belief, and association," Miller said.
