U.S. Calls on Its Citizens to Report Confiscation of Their Properties in Nicaragua

Q24N (Confidencial) The United States Embassy in Managua has warned its citizens about the risks of investing in or purchasing property in Nicaragua. It urged anyone who has been a victim of confiscation, expropriation, or restrictions on the sale of legally acquired property by the Nicaraguan government to contact the embassy and file a report.

The message published by the diplomatic mission notes that “on August 6, 2025, the National Assembly of Nicaragua approved a law granting the Nicaraguan government the right to control all territory within a 15-kilometer radius” of its borders.

The area is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts, the statement says.

“This law could lead to the confiscation of property and restrictions on the purchase, transfer, or sale of property,” it adds.

The new legislation defines as “border territory” the area extending from the international boundary up to 15 kilometers inland. Analysts consulted by CONFIDENCIAL said the law has a “confiscatory character” because it grants the regime total control over the border zones.

“U.S. citizens need to understand the risks of investing in or purchasing property in Nicaragua. As highlighted in the ‘Travel Advisory for Nicaragua: Statement on the Investment Climate’ and the country information page, property rights in Nicaragua are unstable, and laws are applied arbitrarily. The Nicaraguan government regularly confiscates private property without prior notice or due process,” the diplomatic mission said.

The embassy urged those U.S. citizens who may be affected by the Ortega-Murillo regime’s confiscatory policies to report it by sending an email to ManaguaEcon_ExportsInvestments@state.gov.

“We will compile the information you provide to prepare reports for the U.S. government, including the Investment Climate Statement and annual reports to Congress on expropriations affecting U.S. citizens,” the embassy explained.

Additionally, the embassy offers further information on the investment climate in Nicaragua on its website.

This week, the U.S. Department of State placed Nicaragua on its highest-level travel advisory list, which includes countries with the greatest risks for travelers.

The department warned U.S. citizens not to travel to the country “due to the high risk of unjust or arbitrary detention of U.S. citizens.” Other countries on the list include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.