Nicaraguan Dictatorship Confirms Seizure of Justo Rufino Garay Theater in Managua

Managua, Nicaragua – The government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has confirmed the de facto seizure of the Justo Rufino Garay Theater in Managua, which abruptly closed on March 13, 2026. The building has been repainted in "hot pink," the preferred color of Vice President Rosario Murillo, and is slated for a reopening ceremony on Sunday, August 23, 2026, according to state propaganda outlets.

The theater was established in November 1979 by Mexican playwrights Lucero Millán and Enrique Polo, who were inspired by the Sandinista Revolution's triumph. It was legally constituted as the "Justo Rufino Garay" Theater Association in 1990. However, on August 11, 2022, the National Assembly canceled the theater's legal status at the request of the Ministry of Governance (now the Ministry of the Interior).

While the cancellation did not immediately transfer assets to the state, a subsequent law enacted on August 16, Law 1127, empowered the Ministry of the Interior to revoke legal statuses through ministerial resolutions without National Assembly approval. Despite the cancellation, the theater and its associated school continued operating until March 2026, when they announced on social media that all activities were suspended "due to force majeure until further notice."

Regime officials, including Idania Castillo, co-director of the National Cinematheque and former daughter-in-law of the Ortegas, and Brenda Flores, national coordinator of the Leonel Rugama Cultural Movement, toured the facilities on August 20, 2026. Castillo stated they were "joining forces between university theater companies, professional groups, and emerging artists to bring this place to life," omitting that it was a confiscated space that had operated independently for over 40 years. Flores described it as "a new space that will strengthen the capabilities, creativity, and talent of our emerging artists, high school students, and technical centers," calling it a "victory for art and culture." This phrase has been used by other regime officials to celebrate the installation of services in properties previously operated by vulnerable populations or civil society organizations.