politics
May 8, 2026
Report warns of the regime's attempt to 'eliminate' religious freedom in Nicaragua
An international report warns that the dictatorship in Nicaragua maintains a systematic campaign to eliminate religious freedom, including arbitrary detentions, persecution of religious leaders, and deaths in custody.
TL;DR
- Nicaragua faces severe restrictions on religious freedom, with the government engaged in a systematic campaign to eliminate it.
- The government utilizes arbitrary arrests, detentions, closure of NGOs, and transnational repression to harass religious individuals.
- Attacks have expanded to include indigenous populations and Nicaraguans in exile, many of whom are expelled clergy or laity.
- Two detainees died under unexplained circumstances in 2025, with specific cases of religious figures dying in state custody after arrest.
- USCIRF recommends Nicaragua be designated a Country of Special Concern (CPC) for its authoritarian repression of religious freedom.