Taking Additional Steps To Address the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in Nicaragua

This executive order expands U.S. sanctions against Nicaragua by amending Executive Order 13851 to add new criteria for blocking property of individuals (including for suppressing press freedom), ban imports of Nicaraguan products, restrict exports to Nicaragua, prohibit new U.S. investment, and target the gold sector and other economic sectors to be determined by cabinet secretaries.

Federal Register Open PDF 87 FR 64685

Impact dates

Date TBD
Determination of additional sectors for investment prohibition
Date TBD
Determination of items subject to export restrictions to Nicaragua
Date TBD
Determination of Nicaraguan products subject to import ban

Key directives

Amend EO 13851 preamble to include updated statutory authorities
Add press freedom and assembly as criteria for blocking property
Expand blocking sanctions to gold sector and other sectors to be determined by Treasury Secretary
Prohibit importation of Nicaraguan-origin products as determined by Treasury Secretary
Prohibit exportation of items to Nicaragua as determined by Commerce Secretary
Prohibit new U.S. investment in Nicaraguan economy as determined by Treasury Secretary
Prohibit U.S. persons from approving, financing, facilitating, or guaranteeing foreign person transactions that would be prohibited if done by U.S. persons
Authorize Treasury and Commerce Secretaries to promulgate implementing regulations
Authorize Treasury Secretary to submit recurring and final reports to Congress

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Import ban on Nicaraguan products takes effect upon determination by Treasury Secretary
Export restrictions take effect upon determination by Commerce Secretary
New investment prohibition takes effect upon determination by Treasury Secretary
Blocking sanctions expanded to cover press freedom violations and gold sector

Near term (90d)

Treasury Secretary to determine specific Nicaraguan products subject to import ban
Commerce Secretary to determine specific items subject to export restrictions
Treasury Secretary to determine additional sectors of Nicaraguan economy for investment ban
Rulemaking and regulations to implement prohibitions

Long term

Potential expansion to additional economic sectors beyond gold
Ongoing sanctions enforcement and compliance requirements
Congressional reporting on national emergency

Risks & tensions

No explicit deadlines for secretarial determinations creates implementation uncertainty
Broad discretionary authority ('as may be determined') leaves scope of sanctions unclear until agencies act
Press freedom criterion (1(a)(i)(E)) may be difficult to apply consistently in practice
Gold sector targeting may have limited economic impact if Nicaragua's gold exports are already constrained
Potential tension with humanitarian exemptions; standard IEEPA exceptions apply but not explicitly expanded
Congressional reporting obligation is ongoing but no specific frequency stated beyond 'recurring'