Nicaragua’s government has announced its decision to withdraw from the Central American Parliament, a regional body aimed at promoting human rights and democracy. This announcement was made by the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, coinciding with a resolution passed by the Organization of American States (OAS) that called on Nicaragua to restore civil rights and release political prisoners. The Nicaraguan government characterized its withdrawal as an exercise of sovereignty and stated that the decision would take effect immediately.
This move follows Nicaragua's previous withdrawals from the OAS in 2023 and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in 2025, which were prompted by international criticism of its human rights record. Under President Daniel Ortega and co-president Rosario Murillo, the government has faced accusations of targeting critics and dissidents through imprisonment, torture, and exile.
A UN report released in September indicated that the government was responsible for at least eight deaths in custody since 2018, coinciding with a crackdown on protests and dissent. The report highlighted inconsistencies in the government’s accounts of these deaths, including that of Indigenous Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera, who died in custody after being detained for 32 months.
The government attributed Rivera's death to prior COVID-19 complications, a claim challenged by the Physicians for Human Rights group, which stated that such a response does not meet minimum human rights standards for credible democratic governance.
The administration of former US President Donald Trump has also condemned the Nicaraguan government’s actions, labeling it a dictatorship and framing the Ortega-Murillo government as a threat to US national security. In July, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the government's decision to abolish upcoming elections, describing it as a sign of cowardice.
However, the Trump administration has faced backlash for its attempts to deport Nicaraguan citizens expelled under Ortega’s regime. Human Rights Watch has reported that eight Nicaraguan nationals are currently detained for deportation, seven of whom were previously political prisoners exiled to the US in February 2023. The Nicaraguan government has stripped these individuals of their citizenship and labeled them as traitors, while also seizing their property.
Human Rights Watch has urged the Trump administration not to deport these detainees, citing the risk of abuse if they are returned to Nicaragua. Four of the detainees reportedly have pending asylum cases. Juanita Goebertus, the Americas director at Human Rights Watch, emphasized that international law prohibits returning individuals to face persecution or torture, urging US authorities to reconsider their actions.