Nicaragua Loses 100 More Non-Profits, Foreign & National
Ortega Guillotine Accumulates 2,207 Non-Governmental Organizations Eliminated During 2022
HAVANA TIMES – The Ministry of the Interior (Migob) ordered this Wednesday the elimination of the legal status of 63 national Non-Profit Organizations and the cancellation of the operation registration of 37 foreign NGOs, most of them from the United States and Spain. See the full list here.
With these hundred cancellations, the Ortega regime accumulates 2,281 Non-Profits eliminated between November 2018 and October 2022. However, 97% of these occurred in the first nine months of this year, according to a data analysis by CONFIDENCIAL.
Among the foreign organizations that lost their operating permits are Oxfam-Solidarity from Belgium, the Foundation for Nicaraguan Refugees and Exiles from Costa Rica, Friendship with Nicaragua from Germany, Global Links from the United States, among others.
The Government argued that they lost their operating permits because “they hindered the control and surveillance of the General Directorate of Registration and Control of Non-Profit Organizations” by not reporting their financial statements with detailed breakdowns, information on all their donors with addresses and telephone numbers.
Likewise, it alleges that these organizations were abandoned and had between 10 and 31 years of failing to comply with their legal obligations. Therefore, it orders the liquidation of their assets in the country.
In total, the regime has eliminated 110 NGOs of foreign origin between August 2021 and October 2022. These include several Oxfam organizations from Spain, Denmark, Sweden. To date, the cancellation of 43 NGOs of US origin, 17 Spanish, nine German, seven Italian and five from France have been recorded.
The cancellation of foreign organizations was promoted by the general director of Registration and Control of NPOs, Franya Urey Blandón. Meanwhile, the elimination of the national NGOs was by the Migob minister, María Amelia Coronel Kinloch.
Eliminate religious organizations
National nonprofits losing their legal status include several that are religious. Among them, the Maryknoll Sisters Association of Santo Domingo who, according to their website, dedicate their lives “to missionary service abroad helping the poor, the sick and the marginalized” in 24 countries around the world.
Likewise, the Association of Ministers of Marian Healing, Christian Catholics stands out; Association Council of Missionary Churches of Christ, Jesus Savior of the World Foundation, Luisa de Marillac Work Association.
Also the Association of Evangelical Churches for the protection of intellectual property, Association of Evangelical Churches “the renewal of Jehovah”, the Church of Christ Association in Nicaragua, Association of Evangelic Ministries Misiones Jireh, Association of Pentecostal Ministry: Christ, Love, Revival and Health.
The head of the Interior Ministry assures that these NGOs lost their legal status because they did not report their boards of directors, financial statements with a breakdown of donations, and the identity and origin of their members. Therefore, they order the liquidation of their assets.
“Within 72 hours, NGOs must deliver to the Office of Control and Registration of NGOs of the Migob all the documentation related to the liquidation of goods and assets, accounting books, minutes and registration of members”, ordered Franya Urey Blandon.