Sanctions Notice - Nicaragua

Please be advised that the EU Council has imposed an asset freeze and travel ban against 6 people determined to be responsible for serious human rights violations in Nicaragua under Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/606. The EU Regulation is implemented in Guernsey by the Nicaragua (Restrictive Measures) (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Regulations, 2019. [link updated 20/04/2021]

The six designated individuals are:

Ramon Avellan Medal (Deputy Director General Nicaraguan National Police (NNP), Sonia Castro Gonzalez (special advisor to the President of Nicaragua on health), Francisco Diaz Madriz (General Director of the NNP), Nestor Moncada Lau (personal advisor to the President of Nicaragua on national security matters), Luis Perez Olivas (General Commissioner in ‘El Chipote’ penitentiary centre), and Justo Pastor Urbina (Head of Police Special Operations Unit).

MEASURES WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN 

All businesses must check whether they maintain any accounts or otherwise have any kind of relationship with the persons referred to above or to any other natural or legal person, entity or body designated under the legislation referred to above and must treat any funds, other assets or economic resources 

• directly or indirectly belonging to, owned, held or controlled by them, whether wholly or jointly, or
• derived from any funds or economic resources directly or indirectly belonging to, owned, held or controlled by them, whether wholly or jointly, or
• belonging to individuals or entities acting on their behalf or at their direction, whether wholly or jointly 

as frozen with immediate effect if this is not already the case. Businesses must report any findings to the Policy & Resources Committee immediately. They must also ensure that they have taken all other steps that may be required in order to comply with the reporting obligations at section 14 of the Sanctions Law. 

Businesses must also refrain from making any funds or economic resources available directly or indirectly, wholly or jointly, to or for the benefit of 

• any designated person, entity or body
• any entity directly or indirectly owned or controlled by a designated person, entity or body, whether wholly or jointly
• any individuals or entities acting on behalf or at the direction of a designated person, entity or body, whether wholly or jointly 

other than in respect of transactions that come within a permitted derogation as determined by the Policy & Resources Committee, or in accordance with a licence issued by the Policy & Resources Committee, as the case may be. 

The information referred to above is required by the Policy & Resources Committee in the exercise of its powers under section 15 of the Sanctions Law and under the Schedule to each of the Ordinances listed above. 

Any information or queries should be sent to [email protected] with the subject line “Nicaragua Sanctions”. 

Further information on the effect of asset freezes and related issues including licences is available on the States of Guernsey website at http://www.gov.gg/sanctions