Nicaragua's Authoritarian Ties with China and Russia Raise Concerns Over Sovereignty and Economic Stability
Nicaragua has been strengthening its ties with China and Russia, raising concerns about its sovereignty and economic stability. The regime of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has secured significant loans from Chinese companies, totaling over $1.4 billion between 2023 and 2025. These funds have been used to finance projects like the Nicaragua Digital Connectivity Project, which involves building a Huawei-equipped 4G network. This project effectively grants control of the country's digital communications network to China. Additionally, the Nicaraguan government has passed laws that allow for increased control over telecommunications and cyber activities, including the General Law on Convergent Telecommunications and the expansion of the Special Law on Cybercrimes. These developments have been accompanied by extensive mining concessions to Chinese companies, covering a significant portion of Nicaragua's territory. 
