“By calling attention to the abuses of fundamental liberties in Nicaragua, including against American citizens and American interests, Liberty Fund clients such as Mr. Roberto Bendaña-McEwan have a fighting chance to secure justice in their cases,” Poblete added.

​On April 13, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC“) issued a notice that several Iranian entities would be sanctioned for human rights violations. The press release states: “OFAC also designated the Tehran Prisons Organization and Sohrab Soleimani, a senior official within Iran’s State Prison Organization, in connection with serious

​human rights abuses in Iran. These designations are pursuant to E.O. 13553, which targets serious human rights abuses by officials of, and persons acting on behalf of, the Government of Iran since the June 2009 Iranian election.”

​“By imposing economic sanctions on Iran’s State Prison Organization and Sohrab Soleimani, President Trump is reminding Iranian officials that the act of unlawfully holding Americans, U.S. Legal Residents, as well as persons from other nations, hostage comes with consequences. Human rights abusers will be held accountable.”

​Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “We must continue to hold all governments within Central America to similar standards when it comes to human rights, corruption, and transparency as we examine where to best use U.S. taxpayer dollars and the Ortega regime in Nicaragua is no exception. This version of the NICA Act goes one step further than the previous version Albio and I introduced last Congress by calling for the Ortega regime to actively combat corruption and take significant steps to protect human rights defenders and activists. These are bipartisan concerns, and as many of us have witnessed for over a decade, Ortega’s power grab has brought Nicaragua into a continuous downward spiral. The time to take action is now – for the people of Nicaragua and for their democratic future – before it is too late. The NICA Act will be a powerful tool that can help end the atrocities occurring in Nicaragua and reverse its current destructive trajectory.”

Statement by Sires: “Daniel Ortega and his family continue to amass a great amount of wealth while Nicaragua remains the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. He has spent years repressing the political opposition and has created a de facto monarchy by having his wife take on the role of Vice President. I will continue to fight for the Nicaraguan people until their voices are heard. This important legislation makes it clear that the U.S. will not standby and watch Ortega target human rights defenders and stifle democracy while lining his pockets with cash at the expense of the Nicaraguan people.”