Concern at new Nicaragua law

Nicaragua’s National Assembly approved a law yesterday that would give the Government of President Daniel Ortega more power to monitor people, businesses and organisations that receive funding from abroad. The so- called law for the regulation of foreign agents carried by a wide margin in the legislative body, which is controlled by Ortega’s Sandinista Front party. The law requires any Nicaraguan citizen working for “governments, companies, foundations or foreign organisations” to register with the Interior Ministry, report monthly their income and spending and provide prior notice of what the foreign funds will be spent on. The law establishes sanctions for those who do not register.