The Trump administration on April 16 sanctioned seven companies and seven individuals tied to Nicaragua’s gold sector, saying they helped the Murillo-Ortega regime seize U.S.-owned property, generate revenue, and strengthen its grip on power.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the action in a press release and separately issued Nicaragua-related General License 5, which authorizes the wind-down of transactions involving Exportadora de Metales Sociedad Anonima, also known as EMSA.
Treasury said the sanctions target regime-linked companies, government officials, and family members of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. Among those designated were Maurice Facundo Ortega Murillo and Daniel Edmundo Ortega Murillo, two sons of the ruling couple. Treasury identified Maurice Ortega as Nicaragua’s presidential delegate for sports and Daniel Edmundo Ortega as head of the country’s Communication and Citizenship Council.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration would keep targeting financial networks tied to the regime.
“The Murillo-Ortega dictatorship has sought to fill its own coffers through the use of these gold companies and co-conspirators by confiscating American investments in Nicaragua and using it to generate funds to maintain its political power,” Bessent said in the release.
Treasury also sanctioned Vice Minister of Energy and Mines Santiago Hernan Bermudez Tapia, Nelson Francisco Sobalvarro, Lester Matus Tamariz, Feiwu Bian, and Anibal Vladimir Matus Buitrago.
According to Treasury, several of the newly sanctioned actors played roles in the 2025 seizure of a gold-processing facility owned by BHMB Mining Nicaragua S.A., a Nicaraguan company founded with investment from a U.S. company. Treasury said firms linked to the regime occupied the plant, removed security personnel, and took control of the site without compensating BHMB.
The newly sanctioned companies are Brother Metal S.A., EMSA, Grupo Minero Xiloa S.A., Nicaragua Xinxin Linze Mineria Group S.A., Santa Rita Mining Company S.A., Thomas Metal S.A., and Zhong Fu Development S.A.
Treasury said Nicaragua’s gold sector has become a key source of foreign currency for the regime. The department said state mining company Empresa Nicaraguense de Minas, or ENIMINAS, has helped funnel profits to private partners and regime insiders. OFAC sanctioned ENIMINAS in 2022.
The sanctions block property and interests in property belonging to the designated individuals and entities that fall within U.S. jurisdiction. U.S. persons generally cannot conduct transactions involving those parties unless OFAC authorizes the activity.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in February allowed the Trump administration to resume ending Temporary Protected Status protections for nationals of Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua while that case moved forward.
