On Monday, President Joe Biden announced new sanctions on Nicaragua's state-owned mining enterprises. Revenue from these mining operations funds Nicaragua's social welfare programs. The move comes less than 2 weeks before President Daniel Ortega's Sandinista party is expected to secure major victories in local elections.
Last year, days before Ortega's re-election, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Nicaragua to intimidate voters into abandoning the Sandinista party. Twitter and Facebook also banned dozens of Nicaraguan activists, influencers, and journalists under the guise of removing botnets.