The Ortega-Murillo dictatorship has handed over more than 500,000 hectares of Nicaraguan territory to Chinese companies for monthly exploitation.

The amount of land granted, which is equivalent to about 5,657square kilometers, exceeds the area of ​​several states of Nicaragua.

For example, Chinandega measures about 4,822square kilometers, while Managua has an area of ​​3,465square kilometers.

The lands have been granted to eight Chinese capital companies, the main beneficiaries being Thomas Metal S.A. with 189,669 hectares and Zhong Fu Development Limited. with 181,254 acres.

On several occasions, the Fundación del Río environmentalist organization has denounced that these concessions are part of a systematic strategy by the Ortega-Murillo regime to hand over the country’s natural resources to foreign interests.

The organization also pointed out that the lands granted are protected areas were provided without transparency or consultation with the communities that inhabit them.

The reconfiguration of mining operations in Nicaragua stems from the sanctions imposed by the United States on officials and companies involved in the country’s mining activity.

In 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department accused Laureano Ortega Murillo, son of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, of controlling Nicaragua’s gold sector.

In light of this, in January 2024, the China-Nicaragua Free Trade Agreement came into force, allowing 60% of bilateral trade goods to be exempt from tariffs.