Nicaragua Earns $10 Million from Migrant Fees

Nicaragua's communist government has reportedly collected over 359 million córdobas (approximately $9.76 million) in "safe-passage" fees from migrants heading to the United States, according to local newspaper Confidencial. This figure, amassed between January and June 2024, exceeds the regime's income target by 163 percent. Analysts suggest that President Daniel Ortega may be leveraging this financial gain to negotiate potential sanctions relief from Washington. The Ortega administration has implemented various fees for migrants, including taxes for using facilities at Managua's international airport, the country's sole international terminal. In 2024, the regime secured significant loans from China, including a $400 million loan aimed at transforming a defunct military airport into a second international terminal. This strategy has not only bolstered the airport authority's finances but also helped the regime recover from over a decade of fiscal deficits. Confidencial's report indicates that the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration (DGME) collected nearly $10 million in "safe-passage" fines, which range from $150 to $200 per migrant. These fees are reportedly categorized under "other service fees," raising concerns about transparency. In 2023, the DGME collected over 1.664 billion córdobas, with "safe-passage" fines constituting 64.3 percent of that total. Despite U.S. sanctions targeting Nicaraguan airlines to curb migration, the flow of migrants remains steady, with over 300,000 arriving in Nicaragua in 2023 alone. Additionally, remittances from Nicaraguans abroad have provided the regime with further financial support, enabling it to fund domestic repression and maintain ties with countries like China, Russia, and Iran.