Kaine, Cruz Lead Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Sanctions on Nicaragua

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Restoring Electoral Fairness and Opposition Rights through Mandates for Accountability Act. This bipartisan legislation imposes sanctions on Nicaraguan officials for abuses that undermine American national security and interests, including religious persecution.

"The Ortega-Murillo regime's consolidation of authoritarian power, widespread corruption, human rights abuses, crackdown on civil society, and targeting of religious institutions threaten the stability of Central America. The United States must do more to counter this increasing authoritarianism," said Kaine. "This bipartisan legislation would provide the U.S. greater authority to sanction Nicaraguan officials responsible for undermining human rights in the country."

"The Ortega regime in Nicaragua is engaging in human rights abuses, religious persecution, and political repression by means of corruption and election manipulation," said Cruz. "Since the beginning of my career in the Senate, I have sought to counter these abuses and tactics. This bipartisan legislation builds on the NICA framework I authored and built, which passed through Congress and was signed into law. I intend to advance it."

The Restoring Electoral Fairness and Opposition Rights through Mandates for Accountability Act renews and expands sanctions on Nicaraguan regime officials, affiliates, and other actors responsible for corruption, human rights abuses, religious persecution, election manipulation, and political repression until Nicaragua makes meaningful democratic reforms. It also expands existing sanctions to target the industries financing the Ortega-Murillo regime, including the gold sector, as well as individuals and entities providing support to Russia and Iran.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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