U.S. announces new sanctions against Nicaragua over migration, human rights abuses, ties to Russia

The Biden administration announced new sanctions and other restrictions on Nicaragua Wednesday, aiming to curb migration to the U.S. southern border and penalize the country for alleged human rights abuses and its close ties to Russia.

Some of the actions against the country are being taken to address "significant concern about the government of Nicaragua and its continued repression of the people of Nicaragua and their exploitation of migrants," a senior administration official told reporters this morning.

U.S. officials accused the leaders of Nicaragua's government — the husband-and-wife duo of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo — of "profiting off of desperate and vulnerable migrants."