A UN report reveals that State corruption in Nicaragua, under President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, is the primary driver of repression and surveillance against citizens, including those in exile.
"Repression and institutional corruption have become the governing method in Nicaragua under the control of the Ortega-Murillo family," stated Jan-Michael Simon, Chair of the Group of Independent Human Rights Experts. The report details how government funds, originally allocated for social assistance and public projects, were diverted to finance violent security operations, particularly the 2018 crackdown on protests.
"The misuse and diversion of public resources have directly contributed to the commission of serious human rights violations," noted Reed Brody, a member of the expert body. "Repression in Nicaragua is not improvised - it is structured and corruptly financed."
The report outlines an extensive transnational surveillance network designed to monitor, intimidate, and attack Nicaraguans living abroad. The government has revoked the nationality of hundreds, denied necessary documentation to create exiles, and barred many from returning. Those in exile face ongoing surveillance, harassment, smear campaigns, and property confiscations, with repercussions for relatives remaining in Nicaragua.
"The co-presidents have built an apparatus that hunts down dissents wherever they may be... No-one is beyond the reach of this repressive regime," Mr. Brody commented. The report cites at least a dozen cases of killings or attempted killings of exiled critics, including the June 2025 murder of Roberto Samcam in Costa Rica.
A multi-layered intelligence structure, integrating the army, police, migration authorities, and diplomatic missions, facilitates these operations. Digital surveillance, hacking, and doxing are employed to silence critics, while diplomatic channels are instrumentalized for tracking and intimidation.
Gender-based rights violations are also highlighted as part of a deliberate strategy to punish women and feminist movements. The report reiterates previous findings that violations since 2018 constitute crimes against humanity.
Given Nicaragua's withdrawal from UN bodies and discontinuation of cooperation, the experts emphasize that "international accountability is more urgent than ever." They urge Member States to establish a comprehensive accountability framework, including universal jurisdiction, targeted sanctions, and treaty-based litigation, alongside robust protection for exiled populations.