[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 754 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 754

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         March 9, 2020.
Whereas the government of Daniel Ortega has concentrated power and brought about 
        the progressive deterioration of democratic conditions in Nicaragua;
Whereas recent elections in Nicaragua, including the 2016 Presidential 
        elections, have been marred by irregularities and characterized by 
        significant restrictions on the participation of opposition parties and 
        the absence of credible international and local electoral observers;
Whereas Nicaraguan security forces, parapolice, and other actors working under 
        the direction of the Ortega regime committed gross violations of human 
        rights and acts of repression, resulting in more than 325 deaths, over 
        2,000 injuries, and at least 800 arbitrary detentions during the 
        peaceful protests that took place in 2018, according to the Organization 
        of American States;
Whereas a report by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts, 
        appointed by the Organization of American States Inter-American 
        Commission on Human Rights, determined that the Ortega regime used 
        deliberate, lethal force against protesters and committed acts of 
        torture that meet the international legal standard of crimes against 
        humanity;
Whereas an estimated 62,000 Nicaraguans fled the country between April 2018 and 
        April 2019, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for 
        Refugees;
Whereas the Ortega government reneged on its commitment in 2019 to release all 
        political prisoners by releasing just 392 people, of which 286 were 
        released to house arrest with charges still pending, while the Blue and 
        White National Unity coalition alleges that there remain at least 56 
        political prisoners as of February 15, 2020;
Whereas a United States citizen and Navy veteran, 57-year-old Eddy Montes, was 
        shot and killed while in the custody of the Nicaraguan police at La 
        Modelo Prison on May 16, 2019;
Whereas the government of Daniel Ortega has severely restricted freedom of the 
        press by closing five local television stations, attacking independent 
        radio stations, arbitrarily detaining journalists, and illegally 
        restricting print supplies from entering the country;
Whereas the Ortega regime has violated the economic and political rights 
        protections of indigenous communities, rural campesinos, land rights 
        defenders, and those living in the Caribbean Autonomous Regions of 
        Nicaragua;
Whereas, on November 27, 2018, Executive Order No. 13851 was issued, which 
        blocks the property of certain persons contributing to the situation in 
        Nicaragua, and its application was expanded on September 4, 2019;
Whereas the Departments of State and the Treasury have imposed targeted 
        sanctions on over 20 Nicaraguan individuals and entities, including 
        First Lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo and Daniel Ortega's son, 
        Laureano Ortega, as well as Nicaragua's Banco Corporativo (Bancorp);
Whereas the bipartisan Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA Act), was 
        signed into law on December 20, 2018, allowing the Department of the 
        Treasury to sanction non-United States persons implicated in egregious 
        human rights abuses and corruption in Nicaragua;
Whereas, in June 2019, Canada imposed sanctions on 12 members of the Nicaraguan 
        Government engaged in gross and systemic human rights violations;
Whereas the Ortega government has not complied with efforts of the commission 
        appointed by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American 
        States seeking a peaceful resolution to the social and political crisis;
Whereas, on September 15, 2019, the Ortega government denied entry into the 
        country to an official Organization of American States delegation 
        mission; and
Whereas, beginning on November 14, 2019, Nicaraguan police conducted attacks on 
        churches throughout the country, cut water to hunger strikers barricaded 
        inside a church in Masaya, and arrested 13 people attempting to bring 
        them water: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the Nicaraguan Government to immediately release all 
        political prisoners without conditions and cease all acts of violence, 
        repression, and intimidation against dissenting voices in Nicaragua;
            (2) condemns the Nicaraguan Government's continued failure to comply 
        with agreements made with the Organization of American States;
            (3) urges the Ortega government to respect Nicaraguans' 
        constitutional rights and implement electoral reforms including free, 
        fair, multiparty elections open to international observers, in 
        compliance with the agreement reached through negotiations with the 
        Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy and the Blue and White National 
        Unity (UNAB) in March 2019;
            (4) expresses full support for the people of Nicaragua, Nicaraguan 
        independent media, and Nicaraguan civil society organizations that are 
        working for a peaceful return to democratic order in Nicaragua;
            (5) recognizes and supports efforts of the United States Government 
        to promote democracy in Nicaragua and hold corrupt actors and human 
        rights abusers in the Nicaraguan Government accountable for their 
        actions;
            (6) urges the United States Government to continue to apply pressure 
        on the Ortega government and consider additional sanctions against those 
        Nicaraguan officials who have violated the human rights of their 
        citizens or committed acts of significant corruption; and
            (7) urges the international community to hold the Ortega government 
        accountable for human rights abuses, including attacks on religious 
        freedom, and restrict its access to foreign financing unless or until it 
        allows for free, fair, and prompt elections monitored by credible 
        international and local electoral observers.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.