US takes action against prison director linked to detention of political prisoners in Nicaragua
Rubio stated that he will continue to demand accountability for crimes attributed to the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
Marco Rubio
The U.S. government on Wednesday sanctioned Roberto Clemente Guevara Gomez, director of the maximum security prison in Nicaragua. The announcement was made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who indicated that the action is in response to his involvement in a serious human rights violation of a political prisoner.
La Modelo prison, one of Nicaragua's main penitentiaries, houses most of the country's political prisoners and which became a symbol of the regime's repressive policies. The criticism of the conditions and treatment of inmates in this center has been part of the concerns expressed by Washington in relation to the situation of individual rights in the country.
Legal basis for the measure
The sanction was imposed under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State Appropriations Act, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of 2024. This provision empowers the State Department to revoke visas and bar entry into U.S. territory of foreign officials responsible for serious human rights violations or significant acts of corruption.
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Message from Washington
In his public statement, Rubio stated that the United States will continue to demand accountability for crimes attributed to the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. He also reiterated the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners detained in Nicaragua.
Commercial Background
In December, the embassy reported that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) took action under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. In doing so, USTR evaluated more than 2,000 public comments and consulted with experts from government agencies and authoritative advisors.
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Phased Tariff from 2026
As a result of that determination, the United States announced the imposition of a phased-in tariff on Nicaraguan goods that do not originate under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement(CAFTA-DR). The scheme began earlier this year with a 0% rate, which will increase to 10% in 2027 and 15% in 2028.
The embassy noted that the schedule and rates could be modified if Nicaragua does not show progress in resolving the problems noted.
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