EU sanctions 8 Nicaraguan officials amid wide-reaching crackdown

Sanctions target VP Rosario Murillo, wife of President Ortega, and seven others for rights violations and undermining rule of law.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on eight Nicaraguan officials, including Rosario Murillo, the country’s vice president and wife of President Daniel Ortega, amid a crackdown on opposition leaders and presidential hopefuls in the Central American nation. The Council of the EU said Monday’s sanctions bring to 14 the number of Nicaraguans now blacklisted by the bloc, held “responsible for serious human rights violations in Nicaragua and/or whose actions undermined democracy or the rule of law”. The curbs prohibit travel and transit in the EU for those targeted, a freeze on any EU-based assets and a ban on EU businesses or citizens from doing business with them. One of Ortega’s sons was also sanctioned.