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LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

January 26, 2026

How Stable Are Ties Between the U.S. and Nicaragua?

Nicaragua’s co-presidents, Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, pictured in 2017, have faced escalating pressure from the U.S. government in recent months and years. // File Photo: Government of Taiwan via Flickr CC BY 2.0.

Q

  • Nicaragua’s government on Jan. 10 began freeing dozens of political prisoners, the country’s interior ministry announced, amid a U.S. pressure campaign against the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, the Associated Press reported. More than 60 people had been unjustly detained in the country, “including pastors, religious workers, the sick, and the elderly,” the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua said in a statement on Jan. 9, which was published days after the U.S. raid in Caracas that ended with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Where do U.S.-Nicaragua relations stand in the wake of Maduro’s ouster? What does the decision to free dozens of political prisoners signal about Ortega’s posture toward the United States? How likely are U.S. forces to carry out a similar operation to depose Ortega?

A

Leonardo Alvarado, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Fort Lewis College: “The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which shows the willingness of the United States to use force to pursue economic and political aims in the region, heightens tensions in U.S.-Nicaragua relations. The release of dozens of political prisoners by the Ortega-Murillo government after the events in Venezuela and U.S. pressure campaigns could be considered a signal that it seeks to avoid greater confrontations with the United States. At the same time, these could…”

Top News

Venezuela Frees 104 Political Prisoners
Venezuela on Sunday freed 104 political prisoners, said the head of human rights group Foro Penal. The prisoner releases are the latest in a series of releases since U.S. forces deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Mexican Gov’t Weighs Ending Oil Exports to Cuba
Mexico’s government is actively considering halting oil exports to Cuba, three unnamed sources close to the matter told Reuters on Friday.
Canada Won’t Pursue Free Trade Deal With China: Carney
Canada does not intend to pursue a free trade deal with China, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday. U.S. President Donald Trump had threated 100 percent tariffs on imports from Canada.

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The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.
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Merike Blofield
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Devry Boughner Vorwerk
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Joyce Chang
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Barbara Kotschwar
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Thomas F. McLarty III
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Beatrice Rangel
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Ernesto Revilla
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Gustavo Roosen
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