Nicaragua regime approves reforms to boost economic surveillance and control

Nicaragua's National Assembly, under the control of the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime, has approved a package of economic reforms that significantly expand state surveillance and control. These measures include the automatic freezing of assets belonging to individuals accused of money laundering, granting police access to electronic devices without judicial warrants, and imposing tighter control over non-profit organizations operating in the country.

The reforms, approved on June 17, 2026, amend several key laws, including those against money laundering, terrorism financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They also affect the Financial Analysis Unit, the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and laws concerning organized crime and seized assets. The regime claims these changes are necessary for international compliance, but analysts argue they deviate from global standards.

A significant aspect of the reform is the provision allowing the National Anti-Money Laundering Council (ALA/CFT/CPF) to order financial institutions to "immediately" freeze funds or assets of individuals or entities suspected of money laundering. This "without delay" clause means assets can be frozen within hours, even without a prior judicial order. Former deputy and political analyst Eliseo Núñez stated that international standards, such as those from the Financial Action Task Force (GAFI), require speed but not automatic immobilization without judicial oversight.

Núñez warned that this automatic freezing mechanism deviates from international practices seen in countries like the EU, Canada, Chile, and Costa Rica, which typically require a motivated administrative or judicial order. He believes this opens the door to errors, abuses, and improper freezing of assets. The reform also mandates financial institutions to freeze assets requested by third countries, a provision Núñez suggests could potentially turn Nicaragua into a tool for international political agendas.

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La práctica internacional (UE, Canadá, Chile, Costa Rica) exige orden administrativa motivada o orden judicial, no una obligación automática impuesta a privados. Esto abre espacio a errores, abusos y congelamientos indebidos