On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against Luis Roberto Cañas Novoa, the Deputy Minister of the Interior under Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo's regime in Nicaragua, citing his involvement in severe human rights violations.
The announcement coincided with the eighth anniversary of the beginning of popular protests in Nicaragua on April 18, 2018, a day marked by government repression that led to the deaths of more than 325 demonstrators, according to the State Department.
These sanctions, enacted under Section 7031(c), involve visa restrictions, a ban on entering the United States, and freezing of assets belonging to Cañas Novoa.
Rubio condemned the regime's actions as a harsh and violent crackdown on Nicaraguans who courageously opposed the growing tyranny, corruption, and abuse by the government.
This latest move adds to a week of heightened pressure from the Trump administration against Managua. Just last Thursday, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two of the presidential couple's sons, five additional officials, and seven companies in the gold sector.
The sons sanctioned on Thursday are Daniel Edmundo Ortega Murillo, age 46, who coordinates the Council of Communication and Citizenship, and Maurice Facundo Ortega Murillo, age 40, who serves as a presidential delegate for sports.
Additionally, the Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, Santiago Hernán Bermúdez Tapia, and Chinese national Bian Feiwu, president of Zhong Fu Development S.A., were among those named.
The seven mining companies sanctioned include Exportadora de Metales S.A., Grupo Minero Xiloá S.A., Thomas Metal S.A., Nicaragua Xinxin Linze Mineria Group S.A., Brother Metal S.A., Zhong Fu Development S.A., and Santa Rita Mining Company S.A.
The trigger for the mining sector sanctions was the 2025 confiscation of the gold processing plant owned by BHMB Mining Nicaragua S.A., a U.S.-invested company established in 2019, which was seized without any compensation.
In March 2026, BHMB investors initiated legal action against the Nicaraguan state, seeking over $80 million in damages.
The Treasury Department accused the regime of restructuring the gold sector since 2020 into a network of front companies and intermediaries designed to generate foreign currency, launder sanctioned assets, and bolster political control for their own benefit.
The State Department noted that the dictatorship has continually consolidated its illegitimate power in the hands of the ruling family, appointing their children as officials to pursue their dynastic objectives.
In 2025, Nicaragua exported $1.96 billion worth of gold, a 44.4% increase from the previous year, making it the country's leading export, according to the Central Bank of Nicaragua.
The actions taken between April 16 and 18 represent the most extensive and coordinated effort by Washington against Ortega's regime to date, combining Treasury sanctions on the mining sector with State Department sanctions for human rights abuses within the framework of the Trump administration's maximum pressure policy.
Understanding U.S. Sanctions on Nicaragua
What prompted the U.S. to impose sanctions on Luis Roberto Cañas Novoa?
The U.S. imposed sanctions on Luis Roberto Cañas Novoa due to his involvement in severe human rights violations under the Ortega regime in Nicaragua.
What are the consequences of the sanctions against Cañas Novoa?
The sanctions include visa restrictions, a ban from entering the United States, and the freezing of any assets he has within U.S. jurisdiction.
Why is the U.S. targeting Nicaragua's gold sector?
The U.S. is targeting the gold sector due to its role in generating foreign currency, laundering sanctioned assets, and reinforcing political control for the Ortega regime's benefit.