By John Perry
(Writer John Perry lives in Masaya, Nicaragua, and publishes in the London Review of Books, FAIR, CovertAction and elsewhere. This article was first published in Countercurrents on September 17, 2026.)
| After Venezuela and Cuba, will the Trump administration turn its spotlight onto Nicaragua? Secretary of State Rubio has just finished a tour of three Latin American countries now allied with Trump – Colombia, Ecuador and Peru – and was asked about US policy towards Cuba and Nicaragua, and what he would do “to finally bring those dictatorships to an end.” Accusing left-wing governments of “destroying” their countries and bringing “misery” to their citizens, and in some cases of posing a security threat to the United States, Rubio said that the problem can now be addressed “in partnership with other presidents and other leaders in this region that feel the same way.” Back in July, after media claims that Nicaragua’s Sandinista government planned to abolish elections completely, Rubio said that Nicaragua was “thwarting the basic tenets of our democratic hemisphere.” In September he added that its government had “indefinitely deprive[d] Nicaraguans of free and fair elections.” Yet Rubio, of course, said nothing in Ecuador about its president Noboa imposing a complete ban on the main, leftist opposition party, which ran him close in last year’s elections. Meanwhile in Nicaragua, countrywide consultations are taking place on planned electoral reforms. National Assembly President Gustavo Porras, speaking to the public in the city of Estelí, said that “the elections are going to be the same as always,” but with the important qualification that they will not be open to: “…the coup plotters, the traitors to the Nation, those who incite or promote foreign interference, those who call for military intervention, those who organize with foreign financing, those who support economic, commercial, or financial blockades against our country, those who call for sanctions against the State of Nicaragua or its citizens, and those who do not comply with the fundamental Principles of the Constitution.” Washington’s selective concern for “democracy,” together with the measures now being considered against Nicaragua, suggest that the Trump regime’s real target is not simply its political system but the survival of a socialist government that continues to defy US regional dominance. Rubio has been pushing members of the Organization of American States to take action and stop “business as usual” with Nicaragua’s government. A meeting of OAS foreign ministers to discuss new sanctions was planned for September 15. It has been postponed, but of all OAS members, only Mexico and Brazil failed to support it. The new OAS secretary, Albert Ramdin, enthusiastically urges its members to back US threats. Asked whether the OAS will break the rules in its own charter of “non-intervention” in the domestic affairs of countries, he was forced to equivocate. He claimed (as the OAS has on many previous occasions) that its plans aren’t interventionist, saying nevertheless that it must “actively respond” to what he calls “a political disaster.” In a Washington meeting organized by the Nicaraguan government’s opponents, Ramdin called for a “critical mass” of countries to exert pressure because Nicaragua’s actions, he claims, have “repercussions that extend beyond the country’s borders.” He openly admits to “speaking with opposition leaders who are living in Washington DC” as if that were normal behavior for a supposedly independent diplomat. Naturally, these moves have excited the various Nicaraguan opposition groups, based in the US and Costa Rica. The little-known, Miami-based “Nicaraguan Exiles Unit” demanded US military intervention. The most violent opposition group, the Costa Rica-based Campesino Movement, which in 2018 launched fatal attacks on several Nicaraguan police stations, joined the call for armed intervention. This prompted a formal protest from Nicaragua to the Costa Rican government for permitting groups to act in this way, even using children in a video to incite such violence. The feasibility of successful military action was examined this month by academic experts writing in War on the Rocks. They conclude that the conditions that allowed the kidnapping of Venezuela’s president do not exist in Nicaragua and it is far from clear that military force would leave the country with a viable administration in place. By the time he reached Colombia, a note of realism had crept into Rubio’s comments. Asked again what he would do to “end authoritarian governments”, he replied that “The first responsibility to change a system belongs to the people of those countries.” Similarly, OAS Secretary Ramdin, in an interview full of contradictions, also balks at intervening in Nicaragua’s “domestic affairs.” If both Rubio and Ramdin reject military intervention, what might be on the agenda either in the State Department or when regional foreign ministers eventually convene? Inevitably, there will be lengthy condemnations of Nicaragua linked to calls for “free, credible and accessible elections.” By implication, these would only be “free” if the opposition parties funded by Washington, which (with US assistance) carried out the coup attempt in 2018 in which over 200 Nicaraguans died, were able to stand. Based on Washington’s previous interventions in Nicaraguan elections, it would release a fresh wave of financial support, media manipulation, social media domination and bribes and threats from Trump, aimed at getting Nicaraguans to vote for Washington’s favored candidate, just as occurred in Honduras in its recent election. It is precisely to avoid this interference that Nicaragua is changing its electoral rules to exclude candidates who receive US money or who directed the 2018 insurrection. Opposition journalist Wilfredo Miranda believes that countries are divided in their response and that “concrete” steps will emerge from the proposed meeting of foreign ministers only if Rubio himself attends. Even so, the range of measures under discussion look like more of the same, given that Nicaragua is already subject to sanctions on more than 60 individual ministers and other functionaries and two dozen state institutions and businesses, while more than 2,000 individuals are denied US visas. Nicaragua has also been deprived of funding by multilateral bodies such as the IMF and World Bank and is subject to higher tariffs on its exports than apply to its neighbors. Ramdin is proposing coordinated action by all OAS member countries, not just the US, to “punish” Nicaragua. This might involve diplomatic isolation, targeted sanctions, new visa restrictions, limits on international flights and possibly broader trade restrictions of uncertain severity. However, reaching consensus on tougher measures will be problematic. Nicaragua’s immediate neighbors – El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica – have close economic ties with it. They depend heavily on transport routes and the inter-regional electricity grid through the country. They were all damaged economically by the 2018 coup attempt, when its protagonists blocked the Panamerican highway and held over 400 international truckers hostage. Nicaragua’s neighbors must be aware that Rubio’s rhetoric about its citizens living in “misery” has no basis in reality. The country has had the region’s fastest growth in GDP over the past decade, has the largest hospital network and the best roads. Indeed, a prosperous Nicaragua is key to regional stability: it receives 28% of its imports from Central America and contributes 16% of its exports. Nicaragua’s economy “weathers multiple shocks” according to the IMF, including US attacks. Nicaragua is also a recognized “containment wall” against regional organized crime and drug trafficking. The country is far safer than neighboring Honduras and Costa Rica, which have both seen explosions in violent crime. Ramdin drew attention to the potential regional impact of a major disaster or deteriorating economic conditions in Nicaragua, but its neighbors know that the Sandinista government has invested heavily in disaster prevention and its economy is buoyant. While Ramdin focuses on “restoring democracy,” Rubio focuses more on Nicaragua’s socialist government which, in reality, has raised its people from “misery” and successfully challenged the imperialist model. His problem is that while Nicaragua’s opposition leaders are committed to the return of neoliberalism, which Nicaraguans experienced and rejected two decades ago, they only offer vague plans for political transition. In reality, they admit that they are “not yet unified or [have] built the institutional base needed to present a credible alternative.” The groups also have little currency among Trump’s Florida base, fixated on regime change in Venezuela and Cuba. As Juan Gonzalez, a former Latin America aide to President Biden, told Politico: “The lesson from Nicaragua is: Don’t matter too much, don’t embarrass Washington and don’t become a domestic political issue.” So, the likelihood, if indeed Latin American foreign ministers can agree on anything, and if Rubio fits their meeting into his schedule, is more rhetoric about “democracy” along with additional sanctions. They’ll be deciding whether they should threaten Nicaraguans with the “misery” that Rubio claims they are already suffering. Briefs By Nan McCurdy Nicaragua Calls for Peace, an End to Poverty, and Unity Among Peoples at UN Foreign Minister Valdrack Jaentschke expressed Nicaragua’s commitment to world peace, the fight against poverty, and the strengthening of brotherhood among nations on September 26 during his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly. He emphasized the urgency of moving toward harmony and social justice in an international landscape marked by conflict, extreme poverty, and global threats such as drug trafficking and organized crime—phenomena described as forms of terrorism that undermine the stability of nations. The Foreign Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to defend the dignity, freedom, and security of Nicaraguan families and families around the world, promoting access to education, health care, food, and sustainable development through the conservation of natural resources. In his speech, he highlighted the role of the BRICS alliance as a forum for solidarity and mutual support in the pursuit of better living conditions and peace for emerging nations. He reaffirmed the Nicaraguan authorities’ unwavering support for the people of Cuba, the non-negotiable “One China” principle expressed by the government of the People’s Republic of China, and the defense of the right to peace in the face of fascism by the Russian Federation. “We extend our gratitude to all our brothers and sisters around the world who have come together in support of ideals, principles, and values that concern us as humanity, so that we may continue on our journey, fighting the most important and fundamental of all battles: peace for all, and so that we may leave behind poverty, misery, and the exploitation of one person by another. For the entire speech: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/09/26/nicaragua-pide-paz-fin-de-pobreza-y-unidad-de-pueblos-en-asamblea-general-de-onu/ (La Primerisima, 26 September 2026) Over Two Million People Take Part in Emergency Drill Dr. Guillermo González, minister and director of SINAPRED (National System for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Response) reported that 2,125,000 Nicaraguans participated in the “Third National Exercise to Prevent and Protect Lives in the Face of Multi-Hazard Situations” on September 24 throughout the country. Initially, more than 1,948,000 people from different sectors were expected to participate, a figure that was exceeded during the course of the drill. González also noted that more than 70% of the country’s neighborhoods and communities actively participated in the more than 11,000 scenarios prepared for this national drill. The exercise made it possible to test the preparedness and response of families, communities, and institutions to various emergency situations such as earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions. The fourth and final exercise is scheduled to take place on December 17. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/09/25/mas-de-2-millones-de-personas-se-incorporaron-al-simulacro/ (La Primerisima, 25 September 2026) Immediate Assistance Provided to Families Affected by Tornado in Nagarote Authorities from the Nagarote City Hall, in coordination with the National System for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation, and Response (SINAPRED) and the Neighborhood Committees, are providing support to families in the wake of a tornado that struck the city on September 24. The storm hit at approximately 4:30 p.m. and affected more than ten neighborhoods, including the Nuevas Victorias housing development. Preliminary estimates indicate that more than 35 homes were damaged, primarily due to zinc roofing sheets being torn off, collapsed walls and fallen trees, as well as minor damage to public and private infrastructure in the area. Immediately after the storm, municipal brigades and rescue and assessment teams were deployed to the affected areas to assess the extent of the damage, ensure public safety, and provide initial assistance to the affected families. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/09/25/atienden-de-forma-inmediata-a-familias-afectadas-por-tornado-en-nagarote/ (La Primerisima, 25 September 2026) Nicaragua to Have 80 Public Hospitals Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Carlos Sáenz confirmed that the government is simultaneously building several high-capacity hospitals and that two large-scale projects are underway: the Lesbia Carrasquilla Eastern Hospital in Managua, and the Pueblo Presidente Afro and Indigenous Peoples Hospital in Bluefields. With these additions Nicaragua will have more than 80 public hospitals, establishing itself as the largest hospital network in Central America—a true revolution in healthcare. “A healthy person is also someone with a high capacity for productivity and a high capacity for academic achievement in school and college,” he stated. The Lesbia Carrasquilla Hospital project began on July 16, 2026. It occupies an 85,800-square-meter site with buildings totaling 36,000 square meters. It will have a capacity of 510 beds. He described it as a large, state-of-the-art hospital equipped with high-tech medical equipment. In Bluefields, on the southern Caribbean coast, construction of the Pueblo Presidente Afro y Indigenous Peoples Hospital began on July 17, 2026. The projected completion date is June 2029. It will consist of a 172,000-square-meter lot; buildings totaling 18,400 square meters; and a capacity of 300 beds. (Informe Pastran, 25 September 2026) INATEC to Offer 86 Technical Programs in 2027 The National Technological Institute will offer 86 technical and technological programs for the 2027 academic year, said INATEC Director General Loyda Barreda. She noted that the technical programs are available to high school graduates and workers in various productive sectors. Nineteen are in the agriculture and forestry sector, 32 in commerce and services, and 35 in industry and construction. The academic offerings are distributed across 74 technology centers nationwide. The centers are already in direct contact with high school seniors, while also maintaining a presence at career fairs and exhibitions. The National Technological Institute serves 53,000 students in technical programs nationwide with more than 500 courses across the three productive sectors. The Institute has 74 fully equipped technology centers where the educational model is “learning by doing”; in other words, from the very first day of class, students have access to equipment and learning environments designed to develop technical skills and abilities. These technology centers provide all the necessary conditions—including tuition-free classes—that contribute to a high-quality education. (La Primerisima, 28 September 2026) 11 Major Intersections in Managua Under Renovation The Managua mayor’s office presented a plan on September 28 to renovate the city’s main streets, which includes 11 intersections, according to Daysi Serrano, director general of infrastructure. Serrano explained that one of the sites being worked on is the intersection with traffic lights at the Roberto Huembes Market, where half of the renovation project has already been completed. Serrano noted that the work aims to improve traffic flow, road conditions, and safety for drivers and pedestrians. She added that the intersections being renovated will feature horizontal and vertical signage, as well as improvements to sidewalks, curbs, and median strips. Finally, Serrano urged drivers to obey speed limits and traffic signals especially while this work is underway. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/09/28/rehabilitaran-11-principales-intersecciones-de-managua/ (La Primerisima, 28 September 2026) Government Increases High School Graduation Bonus to US$110 Co-President Rosario Murillo announced on September 29 that, starting November 16, the Presidential High School Graduation Bonus will be distributed to students who successfully complete their secondary education. During her address on Channel 4, she noted that this year the financial benefit will increase to the equivalent of US$110 per student. (La Primerisima, 29 September 2026) _____ |
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