H. Res. 981 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
July 25, 2018. 
Whereas Daniel Ortega has taken systematic steps to weaken 
democratic institutions in Nicaragua since 2006, includ-
ing by manipulating the Nicaraguan Constitution 
through actions such as eliminating presidential term 
limits; 
Whereas Daniel Ortega selected his wife, Rosario Murillo, as 
his vice-presidential candidate in 2016; 
Whereas domestic and international observers have repeatedly 
documented and criticized irregularities in the 2011 and 
2016 presidential elections as well as the 2012 and 2017 
municipal elections in Nicaragua; 
Whereas, on April 18, 2018, students in Nicaragua began to 
protest the unilateral decision of the Government of Nica-
ragua to impose reforms on the Nicaraguan Social Secu-
rity Institute; 
Whereas the protests were met with a violent and brutal re-
sponse from the Nicaraguan National Police, subse-
quently resulting in a widespread call by the Nicaraguan 
people for freedom, democracy, electoral reforms, and re-
spect for human rights; 
Whereas since April 18, 2018, the Nicaraguan government, 
the Nicaraguan National Police, or militias controlled by
•HRES 981 EH 
the Nicaraguan government have been responsible for es-
calating violence, committing murders, and many cases of 
torture and disappearances; 
Whereas to block the dissemination of reports of violence and 
repression committed against peaceful protesters, the 
Nicaraguan government shut down the signal of media 
stations throughout Nicaragua; 
Whereas according to press reports, the Nicaraguan govern-
ment has denied basic medical care to and attempted to 
poison the food and water of those protesting oppression 
under the Ortega administration; 
Whereas, on the night of April 20, 2018, a pro-government 
mob set fire to the offices of independent radio station 
Radio Darı´o in the city of Leo´n; 
Whereas, on April 20, 2018, Ambassador Michael Kozak, the 
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bu-
reau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the De-
partment of State, said, ‘‘Nicaragua is going in the 
wrong direction on many fronts and that is one of them, 
of media freedom. But also on all the basics, I mean, it’s 
a long litany of torture, extrajudicial killing, the elections 
were a sham . . . the Ortega government has basically 
shut down a lot of the opposition, a lot of the inde-
pendent civil society organizations as well as the free 
media’’; 
Whereas, on April 21, 2018, Nicaraguan journalist A´ngel 
Gahona was shot and killed by pro-government security 
forces while broadcasting live on Facebook; 
Whereas, on April 21, 2018, the Department of State issued 
a travel advisory for Nicaragua and since then has con-
•HRES 981 EH 
tinued to advise travelers to reconsider travel to Nica-
ragua due to ongoing violence; 
Whereas, on April 22, 2018, the Department of State issued 
a statement that ‘‘we condemn the violence and the ex-
cessive force used by police and others against civilians 
who are exercising their constitutional right to freedom 
of expression and assembly’’; 
Whereas, on April 23, 2018, the Department of State ordered 
the departure of family members accompanying United 
States Government personnel in Nicaragua and also au-
thorized the departure of such personnel; 
Whereas, on Mother’s Day in Nicaragua, May 31, 2018, 
press reports stated that peaceful marches to support the 
mothers of the victims of the earlier protests encountered 
violence from ‘‘the repressive police and shock forces’’, 
leaving 15 dead and nearly 200 injured in the cities of 
Managua, Estelı´ and Masaya; 
Whereas, on May 31, 2018, the Department of State issued 
a statement saying that ‘‘those individuals responsible for 
human rights violations will be held accountable by the 
international community in international fora’’ in re-
sponse to the violence during the Mother’s Day protests; 
Whereas, on June 4, 2018, Secretary Pompeo, participating 
in the Organization of American States General Assembly 
in the District of Columbia, stated, ‘‘In Nicaragua police 
and government-controlled armed groups have killed doz-
ens, merely for peacefully protesting’’; 
Whereas, on June 7, 2018, the Department of State an-
nounced visa restrictions against individuals involved in 
human rights abuses or undermining democracy in Nica-
ragua;