(Reuters) -Nicaragua’s government outlawed 1,500 non-governmental organizations on Monday, in its latest ban of groups it accuses of breaking the law, part of a longstanding crackdown on civil society groups viewed as hostile by President Daniel Ortega.
The move, published in the official government gazette, also involves the confiscation of assets belonging to the mostly religious groups by the state.
“They have not fulfilled their obligations,” according to the interior ministry resolution published in the gazette, which claimed the groups have failed to disclose a range of financial information including donations.
The announcement comes days after officials issued new measures aimed at increasing control over such groups.
Ortega’s crackdown on civil society, as well as the Catholic Church, has intensified since anti-government protests erupted in 2018. Authorities have shut down more than 5,000 civil society groups, private universities and media outlets.
During this time, the government has also banned opposition political parties while jailing or expelling opposition figures to other countries.
(Reporting by Ismael Lopez; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by David Alire Garcia)
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