WASHINGTON — The United States on Monday widened visa bans to include more than 100 Nicaraguan officials and their relatives following the death of indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera, the State Department said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the Nicaraguan government’s role in Rivera’s death, saying Washington would not “ignore the Murillo‑Ortega dictatorship’s responsibility” for the outcome. Rivera, 73, who had been detained since 2023, died in state custody in May; Nicaragua’s health ministry reported on May 31 that he succumbed to bacterial complications linked to COVID‑19.
Human rights groups have decried Rivera’s detention as arbitrary and politically motivated, prompting outrage and international scrutiny. The new measures raise to more than 2,350 the number of Nicaraguan officials and family members now subject to U.S. visa restrictions for supporting the country’s leadership, the State Department said.
Rubio reiterated U.S. support for Nicaraguans seeking a free and democratic future.