OFAC sanctions five Nicaraguan officials under E.O. 13851

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Feb. 26 sanctioned five Nicaraguan government officials, adding them to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

OFAC said the action targets officials leading financial, communications and military agencies that enable repression by Nicaragua’s Murillo-Ortega government.

OFAC designated Retired Major General Denis Membreno Rivas and former Police Chief Commissioner Aldo Martin Saenz Ulloa, described as the director and deputy director of Nicaragua’s Financial Analysis Unit (UAF). OFAC said it designated them under Executive Order 13851, as amended by Executive Order 14088, for being officials of the Government of Nicaragua or having served as such at any time on or after Jan. 10, 2007.

OFAC also designated Johana Vanessa Flores Jimenez, identified as Nicaragua’s minister of labor since August 2025, under E.O. 13851, as amended, on the same basis.

In addition, OFAC designated Celia Margarita Reyes Ochoa, identified as deputy director general of the Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services (TELCOR) since 2023, and Major General Leonel Jose Gutierrez Lopez, identified as head of the Nicaraguan Army’s Directorate of Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DICIM), under E.O. 13851, as amended.

OFAC said that, as a result of the designations, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC also said entities owned, directly or indirectly, 50% or more in the aggregate by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

Unless authorized by a general or specific license, or exempt, OFAC said its regulations generally prohibit transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States involving any property or interests in property of blocked persons. OFAC said violations may result in civil or criminal penalties, and that civil penalties may be imposed on a strict liability basis.

OFAC further said foreign financial institutions may risk exposure to sanctions for certain transactions involving blocked persons and that certain transactions could risk secondary sanctions, including correspondent or payable-through account restrictions, in line with the relevant authorities.