Labor & Human Rights Abuses in Nicaragua under Investigation by US Officials

An investigation into Nicaragua’s government for “persistent attacks on labor rights, human rights and the rule of law” has been announced by a U.S federal office that oversees foreign trade policy.

The investigation which is being opened by the U.S Trade Representative is expected to be completed within a year. The US Trade Representative stated on Tuesday that it had received “numerous credible reports” that Nicaragua’s government had engaged in “repressive” conduct such as politically motivated arrests and extrajudicial killings.

U.S Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement that “Numerous reports suggest the Government of Nicaragua is engaging in repressive acts that harm Nicaragua’s own workers and people, undermine fair competition, and destabilize our region.”

The U.S Trade Representative is a cabinet level position in the United States which reports directly to the president. Katherine Tai has held this position since 2021 under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the investigation which will examine the claims of misuse as well as how much they impact trade with the United States. Retaliating measures if any won’t be done until the decision has been made.

Katherine Tai highlighted reliable reports from a number of watchdog organizations that pointed out the restriction of freedom of association and collective bargaining, forced labor, human trafficking and politically motivated arrests against Ortega’s government.

It is one of the most recent in a string of US steps against the government of Daniel Ortega who is the president of Nicaragua and his wife, Rosario Murillo was recently appointed as his co-president. Numerous Nicaraguan judges and officials have already faced penalties from the US for violating human rights including depriving dissidents of their property and citizenship.

Last month, Ortega put out a constitutional amendment that would increase the length of the presidency from five to six years and formally designate him and his spouse, Murillo as “co-presidents” of the Central American country. 

This investigation coincided with the Ortega government’s ongoing crackdown which has led to the forced exile and widespread imprisonment of opponents including journalists and religious leaders. The government has pushed thousands of people to leave the nation and closed over 5,000 groups in most of which are religious since 2018.

The Nicaragua’s Never Again Human Rights Collective, a human rights organization located in neighboring Costa Rica this week published a study detailing the torture that regime critics endured. At least 229 political prisoners had been subjected to “crimes against humanity” during their time in government custody since 2018 as per the report.

When a protest erupted over a government proposal to increase taxes and reduce social security payments that year the government reacted with a severe crackdown. In the five years following the start of the protests approximately 2,090 persons were arrested according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Over 355 people have died as well.

At least 183 men and 46 women were subjected to torture by the government including beatings, rapes and threats of murder against themselves or their loved ones, according to the Nicaragua Never Again Human Rights Collective. It also mentioned prolonged seclusion, electric shocks and the forced extraction of fingernails and teeth as additional alleged types of torture.

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