Chairwoman Salazar Leads House Hearing on Nicaragua, Warns of Growing U.S. National Security Threat

Image September 15, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, convened a hearing titled “Confronting the Totalitarian Ortega-Murillo Regime,” examining the dictatorship’s repression of the Nicaraguan people, its growing cooperation with America’s adversaries, and the threat it poses to U.S. national security.  “Nicaragua is not forgotten. Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have spent years dismantling democracy, persecuting the Church, crushing political opposition, and acting as if the country were their private property. Now they are opening Nicaragua wider to China and Russia, giving America’s adversaries a dangerous foothold in our own hemisphere. That is not only a tragedy for the Nicaraguan people; it is a national security concern for the United States. Congress is watching, the Administration is paying attention, and Ortega and Murillo should consider themselves warned,” said Chairwoman Salazar.  In her opening remarks, Salazar pointed to a major shift in U.S. policy toward Latin America under President Trump and made clear that Nicaragua must remain part of America’s renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere.  She highlighted the Administration’s posture toward Venezuela and Cuba before turning to Nicaragua, where Ortega and Murillo have dismantled democratic institutions, jailed political opponents, driven hundreds into exile, targeted the Catholic Church, destroyed civil society organizations and universities, and moved to eliminate meaningful elections.  During the hearing, Chairwoman Salazar questioned Ana Quintana-Lovett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central America and Migration Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, about China’s growing strategic and economic presence in Nicaragua and the consequences for American security.  Salazar raised particular concern over China’s involvement in the $500 million expansion of Punta Huete, an airfield originally built to accommodate strategic bombers. She questioned the national security implications of Beijing gaining access to strategically significant infrastructure so close to the United States.  She also highlighted China’s expanding economic footprint in Nicaragua, including mining concessions granted to Chinese interests and Beijing’s involvement in critical infrastructure projects such as the modernization of Puerto de Corinto.  Chairwoman Salazar questioned what more the United States can do to prevent the Ortega-Murillo regime from handing increasingly important pieces of Nicaragua’s economy and strategic infrastructure to China.  Salazar also examined the growing level of cooperation between the Ortega-Murillo regime and Russia, raising concerns about Moscow’s expanding presence and freedom of movement in Nicaragua and what that relationship could mean for U.S. national security.  The hearing underscored that Nicaragua can no longer be viewed solely through the lens of political repression and human rights. As the Ortega-Murillo regime deepens its relationships with China and Russia, Nicaragua is increasingly becoming a strategic concern for the United States and the security of the Western Hemisphere.  To watch Chairwoman Salazar’s opening statement click here . CHAIRWOMAN SALAZAR'S RECORD ON NICARAGUA  Chairwoman Salazar has been one of Congress's leading voices for democracy, religious freedom, and human rights in Nicaragua. Since coming to Congress, she has consistently worked to expose the abuses of the Ortega-Murillo regime and increase pressure on the dictatorship through sanctions, congressional oversight, and legislation. Rep. Salazar was an original House leader of the bipartisan RENACER Act , landmark legislation enacted in 2021 to strengthen sanctions against the Ortega regime, increase scrutiny of international lending to Nicaragua, and expand U.S. tools to respond to electoral fraud, corruption, and human rights abuses. The legislation also required greater reporting on Russian influence and security cooperation in Nicaragua. In January 2026, she introduced the Restoring Sovereignty and Human Rights in Nicaragua Act alongside Rep. Chris Smith. The legislation would strengthen sanctions on the Ortega-Murillo regime, prohibit U.S. investment that benefits the dictatorship, oppose international financing that strengthens the regime, support political prisoners and people of faith targeted by the government, and increase assistance for democracy and human rights programs in Nicaragua. Chairwoman Salazar has been a vocal defender of Nicaragua's political prisoners, exiled dissidents, journalists, and religious leaders. She has repeatedly condemned the regime's persecution of the Catholic Church and warned that Ortega's growing partnerships with China, Russia, and Iran pose a threat not only to the Nicaraguan people but also to U.S. interests and democratic stability throughout the hemisphere. As Chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Rep. Salazar has made Nicaragua a central focus of the Subcommittee's oversight efforts, highlighting the regime's democratic backsliding, attacks on civil society, growing foreign influence, and ongoing human rights abuses. She has consistently called for free and fair elections, accountability for regime officials, and stronger U.S. support for those fighting for freedom in Nicaragua.