H. Res. 754 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

March 9, 2020. 

Whereas the government of Daniel Ortega has concentrated 

power and brought about the progressive deterioration of 

democratic conditions in Nicaragua; 

Whereas recent elections in Nicaragua, including the 2016 

Presidential elections, have been marred by irregularities 

and characterized by significant restrictions on the participation of opposition parties and the absence of credible international and local electoral observers; 

Whereas Nicaraguan security forces, parapolice, and other 

actors working under the direction of the Ortega regime 

committed gross violations of human rights and acts of 

repression, resulting in more than 325 deaths, over 2,000 

injuries, and at least 800 arbitrary detentions during the 

peaceful protests that took place in 2018, according to 

the Organization of American States; 

Whereas a report by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts, appointed by the Organization of American States Inter-American Commission on Human 

Rights, determined that the Ortega regime used deliberate, lethal force against protesters and committed acts 

of torture that meet the international legal standard of 

crimes against humanity; 
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Whereas an estimated 62,000 Nicaraguans fled the country 

between April 2018 and April 2019, according to the 

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; 

Whereas the Ortega government reneged on its commitment 

in 2019 to release all political prisoners by releasing just 

392 people, of which 286 were released to house arrest 

with charges still pending, while the Blue and White National Unity coalition alleges that there remain at least 

56 political prisoners as of February 15, 2020; 

Whereas a United States citizen and Navy veteran, 57-yearold Eddy Montes, was shot and killed while in the custody of the Nicaraguan police at La Modelo Prison on 

May 16, 2019; 

Whereas the government of Daniel Ortega has severely restricted freedom of the press by closing five local television stations, attacking independent radio stations, arbitrarily detaining journalists, and illegally restricting 

print supplies from entering the country; 

Whereas the Ortega regime has violated the economic and political rights protections of indigenous communities, rural 

campesinos, land rights defenders, and those living in the 

Caribbean Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua; 

Whereas, on November 27, 2018, Executive Order No. 13851 

was issued, which blocks the property of certain persons 

contributing to the situation in Nicaragua, and its application was expanded on September 4, 2019; 

Whereas the Departments of State and the Treasury have 

imposed targeted sanctions on over 20 Nicaraguan individuals and entities, including First Lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo and Daniel Ortega’s son, Laureano 
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Ortega, as well as Nicaragua’s Banco Corporativo 

(Bancorp); 

Whereas the bipartisan Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality 

Act (NICA Act), was signed into law on December 20, 

2018, allowing the Department of the Treasury to sanction non-United States persons implicated in egregious 

human rights abuses and corruption in Nicaragua; 

Whereas, in June 2019, Canada imposed sanctions on 12 

members of the Nicaraguan Government engaged in 

gross and systemic human rights violations; 

Whereas the Ortega government has not complied with efforts of the commission appointed by the Permanent 

Council of the Organization of American States seeking 

a peaceful resolution to the social and political crisis; 

Whereas, on September 15, 2019, the Ortega government denied entry into the country to an official Organization of 

American States delegation mission; and 

Whereas, beginning on November 14, 2019, Nicaraguan police conducted attacks on churches throughout the country, cut water to hunger strikers barricaded inside a 

church in Masaya, and arrested 13 people attempting to 

bring them water: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) calls on the Nicaraguan Government to immediately release all political prisoners without conditions 

and cease all acts of violence, repression, and intimidation against dissenting voices in Nicaragua; 
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(2) condemns the Nicaraguan Government’s continued failure to comply with agreements made with the 

Organization of American States; 

(3) urges the Ortega government to respect Nicaraguans’ constitutional rights and implement electoral 

reforms including free, fair, multiparty elections open to 

international observers, in compliance with the agreement reached through negotiations with the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy and the Blue and White 

National Unity (UNAB) in March 2019; 

(4) expresses full support for the people of Nicaragua, Nicaraguan independent media, and Nicaraguan 

civil society organizations that are working for a peaceful return to democratic order in Nicaragua; 

(5) recognizes and supports efforts of the United 

States Government to promote democracy in Nicaragua 

and hold corrupt actors and human rights abusers in the 

Nicaraguan Government accountable for their actions; 

(6) urges the United States Government to continue 

to apply pressure on the Ortega government and consider additional sanctions against those Nicaraguan officials who have violated the human rights of their citizens 

or committed acts of significant corruption; and 

(7) urges the international community to hold the 

Ortega government accountable for human rights 
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abuses, including attacks on religious freedom, and restrict its access to foreign financing unless or until it allows for free, fair, and prompt elections monitored by 

credible international and local electoral observers. 

Attest: 

Clerk.