COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/1276

of 30 July 2021

implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1716 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1716 of 14 October 2019 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua (1), and in particular Article 13(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1)	On 14 October 2019, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2019/1716 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua.

(2)

On 10 June 2021, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’) issued a declaration on behalf of the Union in which he condemned the actions of the Nicaraguan authorities against opposition parties, media, journalists and other media workers, human rights defenders and civil society, including through the systematic detention and arrest of potential presidential candidates and opposition leaders. The High Representative indicated that the Union stands ready to use all instruments in view of the situation in Nicaragua, including the imposition of additional restrictive measures.

(3)	In view of the continuing grave situation in Nicaragua, eight persons should be included in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1716.

(4)	Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1716 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1716 is amended as set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 30 July 2021.

For the Council

The President

G. DOVŽAN

(1) OJ L 262, 15.10.2019, p. 1.

ANNEX

The following persons are added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1716:

	Name	Identifying information	Reasons	Date of listing
‘7.	Rosario María MURILLO ZAMBRANA Alias: Rosario María MURILLO DE ORTEGA	Position(s): Vice President of the Republic of Nicaragua (since 2017), wife of President Daniel Ortega Date of birth: 22 June 1951 Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A00000106 (Nicaragua)	Vice President of Nicaragua, First Lady of Nicaragua and a leader of the Sandinista Youth. According to President Daniel Ortega, Rosario María Murillo Zambrana shares half of power with him. She played an instrumental role in encouraging and justifying the repression of opposition demonstrations by the Nicaraguan National Police in 2018. In June 2021, she publicly threatened the Nicaraguan opposition and discredited independent journalists. She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and for undermining democracy in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021
8.	Gustavo Eduardo PORRAS CORTÉS	Position(s): President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua (since January 2017) Date of birth: 11 October 1954 Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan	President of the National Assembly of Nicaragua since January 2017 and member of the national direction of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) since 1996. In his position as the President of the National Assembly of Nicaragua, he is responsible for promoting the adoption of several repressive legal acts, among them an amnesty law that precludes any investigation into the perpetrators of massive human rights violations in 2018, and laws undermining freedom and democratic process in Nicaragua. He is therefore responsible for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, as well as for seriously undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021
9.	Juan Antonio VALLE VALLE	Position(s): Leader in Nicaraguan National Police Rank: General/Senior Commissioner Date of birth: 4 May 1963 Place of birth: Matagalpa, Nicaragua Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan	As leader in the rank of senior commissioner (second highest rank) of the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP) and in a leading position in the police in Managua, Juan Antonio Valle Valle is responsible for repeated acts of police brutality and the excessive use of force which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, for arbitrary arrests and detentions, for violations of freedom of expression and for preventing demonstrations against the government. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021
10.	Ana Julia GUIDO OCHOA Alias: Ana Julia GUIDO DE ROMERO	Position(s): Attorney General of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 16 February 1959 Place of birth: Matagalpa, Nicaragua Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan	In her position as Attorney General, the highest civil servant in the Prosecutor’s Office, Ana Julia Guido Ochoa, who is loyal to the Ortega regime, is responsible for the politically motivated prosecution of numerous protesters and members of the political opposition. She created a specialised unit that fabricated allegations against protesters and brought charges against them. She is moreover responsible for the disqualification from public office of the main opposition candidate for the general elections. She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021
11.	Fidel de Jesús DOMÍNGUEZ ÁLVAREZ	Position(s): Chief of police in Leon , General Commissioner of the National Police Date of birth: 21 March 1960 Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan	In his position as chief of the police in Leon since 23 August 2018, Fidel de Jesús Domínguez Alvarez is responsible for numerous serious violations of human rights, in particular arbitrary arrests and detention, including the kidnapping of members of a political opponent’s family, the excessive use of force and violations of freedom of expression and freedom of the media. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations and the repression of civil society and democratic opposition.	2.8.2021
12.	Alba Luz RAMOS VANEGAS	Position(s): President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 3 June 1949 Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A0009864 (Nicaragua)	In her position as the President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Nicaragua, she is responsible for instrumentalisation of the judiciary in favour of the interests of the Ortega regime, through the selective criminalisation of opposition activities, perpetuating the pattern of violations of rights of due process, arbitrary arrests, and the disqualification of political parties and opposition candidates. She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and for seriously undermining the rule of law in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021
13.	Juan Carlos ORTEGA MURILLO	Position(s): Director at Canal 8 and Difuso Comunicaciones. Leader of the 4th of May Sandinista Movement, Son of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 17 October 1982 Nationality: Nicaraguan	Son of president Daniel Ortega and the First Lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo. Director of one of the main propaganda TV stations, Canal 8, and the leader of the 4th of May Sandinista Movement. In his position, he has contributed to restricting freedom of expression and freedom of the media. He has publicly threatened Nicaraguan businesspersons who oppose the Ortega regime. He is therefore responsible for undermining democracy and the repression of civil society in Nicaragua. Because he is the son of Vice President Rosario Murillo, he is associated with persons responsible for serious human rights violations and the repression of civil society in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021
14.	Bayardo ARCE CASTAÑO	Position(s): Economic Advisor to the President of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 21 March 1950 Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan	In his position as Economic Advisor to President Daniel Ortega, Bayardo Arce Castano holds significant influence over the policies of the Ortega regime. He is therefore associated with persons responsible for serious violations of human rights in Nicaragua. He supported the development of legislation preventing opposition candidates from taking part in elections. He is therefore responsible for repression against civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua.	2.8.2021’