S. 5369: Restoring Electoral Fairness and Opposition Rights through Mandates for Accountability Act of 2026

This bill would extend and expand U.S. sanctions authority related to Nicaragua. It updates earlier laws on Nicaragua so that sanctions can continue until December 31, 2035, or end sooner if the President certifies that Nicaragua has reached a political resolution meeting specified conditions.

What the bill says about Nicaragua

The bill states that the Nicaraguan government has:

• undermined democratic institutions and the rule of law;
• committed human rights abuses and political repression;
• cracked down on opposition candidates, civil society, religious groups, and the press;
• reduced or abandoned competitive elections.

It says U.S. policy should support the people of Nicaragua in restoring democracy, protecting human rights, and holding free and fair elections observed by international monitors.

Main changes to sanctions policy

The bill expands the kinds of conduct that can trigger sanctions. In addition to existing sanctions targets, it adds new categories, including:

• activities in Nicaragua’s gold sector;
• activities in other sectors if identified by the Secretary of State and Treasury;
• arresting or prosecuting people, including Catholic or Protestant clergy and workers, for legitimately exercising religious freedom;
• convicting and sentencing democratic political actors or members of independent civil society groups on politically motivated charges;
• providing significant goods, services, or technology that support the government of Russia after February 24, 2022, or the government of Iran after February 11, 1979.

New priority target

The bill adds officials of Nicaragua’s Instituto de Previsión Social Militar (IPSM), the military social security institute, to the list of priority sanctions targets under related Nicaragua sanctions law.

Reporting requirements

The Secretary of State, working with the Treasury Department, would have to report to Congress within 90 days and then annually for three years on how Nicaragua sanctions are being implemented. Those reports must include:

• progress on a coordinated sanctions strategy;
• steps taken to prioritize targeted sanctions;
• results of reviews of potential sanctions targets.

Democratic transition assessment

The bill also requires the State Department to assess what conditions would be needed for a future democratic transition in Nicaragua. That assessment must cover:

• an impartial elections body;
• judicial independence;
• police reform;
• stronger government institutions;
• humanitarian assistance;
• including dissidents and opposition leaders in any transition.

A report on that assessment would be due to Congress within 90 days, in unclassified form with a possible classified annex.

How sanctions could end

The sanctions authority would end if either:

• the date reaches December 31, 2035; or
• the President certifies that Nicaragua has reached a resolution meeting the bill’s conditions, and 90 days pass after that certification.

Relevant Companies

None found.