Nicaragua Stays Open for Easter Tourism, but Last Airline Says Adios

HAVANA TIMES – Aeromexico, the last of nine international airlines that normally fly to Managua has announced it will shutdown operations in Nicaragua as of Thursday April 9, reports La Prensa. 

The move comes despite the Ortega government’s attempt to promote tourism to the Central American country in these times of a global pandemic.

The fact is there were very few takers and the airlines prefer to protect their staff instead of flying at a loss.

The US embassy in Managua issued a statement: “after the last Aeroméxico flight on April 9, there will be no commercial flights between Nicaragua and the United States until at least the beginning of May.”

Most airlines in Latin America and part of the world have grounded their aircraft fleets due to the health crisis and the migration restrictions that governments have imposed in their countries to combat the spread of the virus.

The Venezuelan airlines, Conviasa, was the second to the last of the airlines to stop flights to and from Managua.  Costeña Airlines, which flies to domestic destinations, is still operating.

Nicaragua is the only country in the Americas that keeps its land and sea borders and airport completely open, but this has been of no use in its efforts to promote tourism since its neighbors, like over 100 countries around the globe, closed their land and air borders.

The Ortega government has managed the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic as if it is not at all serious, apparently believing they are immune to what’s happening in neighboring countries and around the globe.

One thing for sure is that Daniel Ortega and the undeclared acting president Rosario Murillo, have been in self-quarantine with their entire extended family for several weeks. However, Murillo has governed by telephone telling citizens to get out and enjoy themselves as well as to attend food fairs, sporting events, beaches and government rallies, to which the leaders will not appear.