Nicaraguan banker arrested in widening crackdown

Observers accuse President Daniel Ortega of targeting opposition leaders and other figures in advance of November elections.

Police in Nicaragua have arrested a leading banker as a crackdown on opposition political leaders and would-be presidential candidates seeking to challenge President Daniel Ortega continues before a planned election later this year. Luis Rivas Anduray, executive president of the private Banco de la Produccion (Banpro) – one of the country’s largest – was arrested on Tuesday for “inciting foreign interference,” a police statement said. Police said Rivas is under investigation for “proposing and managing blockades of economic, commercial and financial operations” and for backing sanctions against Nicaragua.