The United States government announced new sanctions against Nicaraguan officials, this time targeting Roberto Clemente Guevara Gómez, director of the maximum-security prison known as La Modelo.
The measure was confirmed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that the action aims to promote accountability for alleged human rights violations committed against political prisoners under the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
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Who is Roberto Clemente Guevara Gómez?
Roberto Clemente Guevara Gómez is identified by Washington as the director of La Modelo prison, a facility where opponents and political prisoners have been held since 2018.
According to the State Department, the official would be linked to a “serious violation of the human rights of a political prisoner.” In the official statement, the U.S. administration reiterated its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Nicaragua.
What do the US sanctions against Nicaragua consist of?
The sanctions against the Nicaraguan official are applied in accordance with the Department of State Appropriations Act 2024 and include:
- Entry ban to the United States
- Visa restrictions
- Possible extension of the measure to immediate family members
This type of sanctions is part of Washington’s diplomatic pressure strategy against the Ortega-Murillo administration.
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La Modelo Prison: Overcrowding and International Complaints
La Modelo prison, also known as “Jorge Navarro,” has a capacity of approximately 2,400 people, although at various times it has exceeded 5,000 inmates, according to public reports.
Since 2018, following social protests in Nicaragua, international organizations have documented reports of overcrowding, mistreatment, and human rights violations in the country’s prisons.
The UN points out crimes against humanity in Nicaragua
The United Nations (UN), thru its Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, included Guevara Gómez among the alleged perpetrators of abuses committed since 2018.
In its report presented in April 2025, the organization stated that there are elements pointing to possible crimes against humanity linked to political repression in the Central American country.
