Nicaragua Roundup: US ends parole, Ortega secretly receives deportees, 'abysmal' religious freedom

Ortega names wife Rosario Murillo head of Nicaragua's Army

In a move to tighten his grip on power, Daniel Ortega appointed his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, as co-head of Nicaragua’s Army. According to CiberCuba, the decision was fast-tracked through a legislative reform approved unanimously by the ruling party-dominated National Assembly. This step further consolidates the couple’s control over state institutions, including the military.

Trump ends parole programme for Nicaragua

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the end of the CHNV parole program for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, effective March 25, 2025. Beneficiaries must leave the U.S. by April 24, 2025, or when their parole expires—whichever comes first—unless they’ve applied for another immigration benefit. DHS will prioritise the removal of those who overstay and revoke related work authorisations, JD Supra reports.

Panama ex-president Martinelli approved for asylum in Nicaragua

Panama approved safe passage for ex-president Ricardo Martinelli to take asylum in Nicaragua, citing humanitarian reasons. Martinelli, convicted of money laundering and sentenced to nearly 11 years, had been sheltering in Nicaragua’s embassy. According to The Strait Times, Nicaragua granted him asylum in 2024, as it has done for other former Central American leaders.

Ortega 'secretly' receives planes of deported Nicaraguans

In the first two months of Trump’s presidency, five ICE Air deportation flights carrying Nicaraguan migrants landed in Managua, according to CONFIDENCIAL. Four flights departed from Louisiana and one from Texas, all operated by Global X Airlines. The flights, arriving on the first and third Thursdays each month, use the call sign G6-6194. While not listed on Nicaragua’s official airport registry, they are tracked on flight platforms and documented by local aviation enthusiasts.

U.S. report says religious freedom in Nicaragua ‘abysmal’

Religious persecution in Nicaragua has worsened, according to a new U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report. Calling the situation “abysmal,” the report criticizes President Ortega and Rosario Murillo for targeting the Catholic Church through arrests, exiles, and legal crackdowns, especially since churches sheltered protesters in 2019, as reported by Persecution.org.