U.S. imposes sanctions on son of Nicaragua’s president

Rafael Antonio Ortega Murillo
Rafael Antonio Ortega Murillo

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s son, Rafael Antonio Ortega Murillo, for alleged money-laundering and corruption, the U.S. Treasury Department announced, in its latest move against the Nicaraguan government.

Washington also blacklisted two of Rafael Ortega’s companies that it said he used for laundering money and financing the Ortega government, according to a Treasury statement.

Washington had already blacklisted a number of Nicaraguan officials, including Daniel Ortega’s wife, Rosario Murillo, who is the country’s vice president. The Trump administration has criticized the Ortega government for what it views as its undermining of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

“Rafael Ortega is the key money manager behind the Ortega family’s illicit financial schemes. Treasury is targeting Rafael and the companies he owns and uses to launder money to prop up the Ortega regime at the expense of the Nicaraguan people,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the department’s statement.

A chain of gas stations, Distribuidor Nicaraguense de Petroleo S.A., owned by Rafael Ortega as well as by Murillo was also blacklisted on Thursday.

The Nicaraguan government has called previous U.S. sanctions on officials a continuation of “imperial” designs on the small Central American country.