OEA - Resolución AG INF 821 de 2026

FIFTY-SIXTH REGULAR SESSION OEA/Ser.P June 22 to 24, 2026 AG/INF. 821/26

Panama City, Panama 29 June 2026 Textual

STATEMENT ON THE ADOPTION OF THE DECLARATION “SITUATION IN NICARAGUA”

(Delivered by Ambassador Leandro Rizzuto, Permanent Representative of the United States, at the fourth plenary session of the fifty-sixth regular session of the General Assembly, held on June 24, 2026)

GENERAL ASSEMBLYSTATEMENT ON THE ADOPTION OF THE DECLARATION “SITUATION IN NICARAGUA”

(Delivered by Ambassador Leandro Rizzuto, Permanent Representative of the United States, at the fourth plenary session of the fifty-sixth regular session of the General Assembly, held on June 24, 2026)

Thank you Chair.

We appreciate the General Assembly’s time to address the crisis in Nicaragua and thank Canada and Chile for shepherding today’s text through negotiation as co-chairs of the OAS Voluntary Group on Nicaragua. The passage of this declaration demonstrates our region’s condemnation of the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship and its egregious human rights violations and destabilization of the hemisphere as a whole.

Since 2018, Rosario Murillo and Daniel Ortega have transformed Nicaragua into a dynastic police state. In 2025, their legislative goons rewrote the constitution to elevate Murillo to Co-President, without even the pretense of an election. The dictators ha ve silenced, exiled, and jailed under horrific conditions thousands of real and perceived opponents, including American citizens. Unjust arrests continue unabated, and authorities subject released political prisoners to constant police surveillance, harassment, and movement limitations.

Religious freedom violations persist. The dictatorship forcibly exiled, expelled, and denied

conditions thousands of real and perceived opponents, including American citizens. Unjust arrests continue unabated, and authorities subject released political prisoners to constant police surveillance, harassment, and movement limitations.

Religious freedom violations persist. The dictatorship forcibly exiled, expelled, and denied the reentry into Nicaragua of more than 300 clergy and nuns. Half the country’s bishops reside outside of Nicaragua and at least 51 priests face the possibility of statelessness.

The recent death of political opposition leader Brooklyn Rivera was a horrific tragedy; he should still be alive. The United States holds the Murillo -Ortega dictatorship singularly responsible for his death. We condemn the arrest and imprisonment of Rive ra’s family members and call for the release of all unjustly detained political prisoners. Today’s declaration rightly emphasizes these points.

Nearly a year ago to the day, assailants murdered Roberto Samcam, living in exile in Costa Rica. Samcam’s murder demonstrates the increasing reach of the Murillo -Ortega dictatorship, which threatens the sovereignty of its neighbors in Central America. We condemn all instances of transnational repression of Nicaraguans and note with growing concern the dictat orship’s increased harassment and violence against Nicaraguan journalists in exile. Mr. Chair: Samcam and all Nicaraguans, both in country and in exile, deserve justice.

Murillo and Ortega also stifle growth by confiscating property and businesses, including those belonging to U.S. citizens. No country can arbitrarily seize assets and expect economic opportunity and growth.

As we underscored in the process of developing today’s text, the United States objects to the inclusion of reference to the United Nations Human Rights Council, which has protected human rights abusers and allowed them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny.- 2Given the Murillo -Ortega dictatorship’s failure to respect the Inter American Democratic Charter the United States also underscores the critical importance of ensuring conditions of representative democracy are met prior to any consideration of Nicaragua p ossibly returning to the

abusers and allowed them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny.- 2Given the Murillo -Ortega dictatorship’s failure to respect the Inter American Democratic Charter the United States also underscores the critical importance of ensuring conditions of representative democracy are met prior to any consideration of Nicaragua p ossibly returning to the OAS. Nicaragua must prove it has fully restored democratic institutions and demonstrate its good faith commitment to restoring respect for human rights. The Democratic Charter provides the clear framework for that assessment.

We lament that the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship has moved Nicaragua further and further from the conditions of democracy that bind us together as members of this Organization. We plan to make our expectations in this respect clear with a footnote in the te xt. As indicated in the declaration, the U.S. will submit our footnote in due course to the Secretariat to address our views.

Thank you very much, Chair.