CIVICUS speaks with Nicaraguan lawyer and activist Juan Barberena about recent legal changes and their impact on civil society in Nicaragua. Juan is a member of the We Build Nicaragua movement and the Political Council of Blue and White National Unity, a coalition of diverse and plural social, political and economic organisations striving for democracy in Nicaragua.
In December 2024, Nicaragua’s parliament passed the Law on the Administration of the Monetary and Financial System, which gives the government of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo unprecedented powers over the private banking sector. The law authorises the government to appoint and remove bank directors, supervise all financial operations and abolish banking secrecy. This expansion of state control has raised alarm among the opposition, which warns of the potential use of financial information as a tool for the regime to further accumulate power and repress dissent.