AGP Executive Report

Human Rights: UN experts say Nicaragua’s leaders have established a dictatorship and that there are reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity have been committed. They cite political persecution, arbitrary detention and forced disappearances; the government rejects the allegations. Travel Safety: French travel influencer Emma Marie Laurent, 24, and two companions died when their vehicle was swept away while crossing a swollen river in Chinandega on Oct. 9. Faith & Community: The Managua Nicaragua Temple was dedicated on Oct. 18. During his visit, Latter-day Saint leader Elder Ronald A. Rasband met with more than 300 local missionaries and urged them to serve throughout their lives. Migration: Nicaraguans make up 87% of refugee applications in Costa Rica, according to a report published this week. Press Freedom: Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano has been granted political asylum in the United States.

Human Rights: UN-appointed experts say Nicaragua’s co-presidents have established a dictatorship and that there are reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity have been committed. The government rejected the allegations and accused the UN body of political interference. Regional Solidarity: Nicaragua joined Mexico and other countries in backing a UN resolution calling for an end to the U.S. blockade of Cuba; it passed with 130 votes in favor. Caribbean Culture: A report on Colombia’s renewed dispute with Nicaragua highlights the shared roots of Caribbean communities, including Creole language, Baptist and Moravian faith, food traditions and music. Faith in Managua: During his visit for the dedication of the Managua temple, Latter-day Saint leader Elder Ronald A. Rasband urged more than 300 missionaries to keep serving throughout their lives.

Nicaragua–Palestine Ties: A new NicaNotes feature traces decades of solidarity, from early Sandinista links with the Palestine Liberation Organization to shared anti-imperialist commitments. Caribbean Connections: Colombia’s president-elect has threatened to cut ties with Nicaragua and revive a maritime dispute. The islands at the heart of the issue share deep cultural ties with Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, including Creole language, church traditions, food and music. Migration: Nicaraguans account for 87% of refugee applications in Costa Rica, where officials report 25,000 to 30,000 new Nicaraguan applications each year and a long wait for decisions. Faith and Community: Nicaraguan Saints celebrated the opening of a temple in Managua, a new gathering place for the country’s Latter-day Saint community.

Caribbean Culture: Colombia’s president-elect has threatened to sever ties with Nicaragua and revived a maritime dispute over San Andrés and Providencia. The islands and Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast share Creole language, church traditions, food and music. Migration: Nicaraguans account for 87% of refugee applications in Costa Rica, with 25,000 to 30,000 new applications from Nicaraguans each year, officials say. Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, drawing joyful celebrations from local members and former missionaries. Environmental Advocacy: Exiled Fundación del Río, which worked with Indigenous, Afro-descendant and rural communities, has received WOLA’s 2026 Human Rights Award for continuing its land and community-rights work from abroad.

Press Freedom: The Inter American Press Association called for Cuban journalist Henry Constantín’s release and noted ongoing censorship and persecution of independent journalism in Nicaragua. Music & Culture: Nicaraguan-born conductor Giancarlo Guerrero is among the Latino artists whose growing presence in U.S. orchestras is increasingly seen as a mark of quality. Migration: Nicaraguans account for 87% of refugee applications in Costa Rica, with 25,000 to 30,000 new applications each year and waits for decisions stretching to 537 days. Environmental Advocacy: Exiled group Fundación del Río won WOLA’s 2026 Human Rights Award for defending Indigenous, Afro-descendant and rural communities and documenting environmental threats from abroad. Faith & Community: Latter-day Saints celebrated the dedication of Nicaragua’s first temple in Managua, with local members and former missionaries marking the milestone.

Migration: Nicaraguans account for 87% of refugee applications in Costa Rica, with 25,000 to 30,000 new applications each year. Officials cite a backlog and waits of up to 537 days for decisions. Environmental Advocacy: Fundación del Río, forced into exile after Nicaragua revoked its legal status in 2018, has won WOLA’s 2026 Human Rights Award for defending Indigenous, Afro-descendant and rural communities and their territories from abroad. Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple has been dedicated in Managua, drawing joyful celebrations from members and former missionaries across the country.

Land and Community: Fundación del Río, an environmental group forced into exile after Nicaragua revoked its legal status and seized its property in 2018, has received WOLA’s 2026 Human Rights Award. It continues to document threats to forests and advocate for Indigenous, Afro-descendant and rural communities from abroad. Faith and Culture: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18. Nicaraguan members celebrated the milestone, which church leaders described as a source of faith and community. Cuban Community: Cubans living in Nicaragua called for an end to the U.S. blockade, saying restrictions worsen shortages and hardship for families, older people and children.

Diplomacy: An OAS meeting set deadlines and a monitoring process for Nicaragua’s political crisis, while leaving further measures on the table. Its impact will depend on whether member governments respond if authorities fail to comply. Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18. Local members celebrated the milestone, with former missionaries also gathering to mark the occasion. International Ties: Cambodia and Nicaragua held their first political consultations in Managua, agreeing to explore cooperation in culture, tourism, trade and investment. Education: Canadian charity Generation Rising supports nearly 2,500 students at about 14 schools across Nicaragua, Honduras and Paraguay, promoting Christian education as a path to opportunity.

Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, drawing joyful celebrations from local members and former missionaries. Civic Life: A report says Nicaraguans are being compelled to attend events promoting constitutional reforms, while the OAS has set up monitoring of the country’s political crisis. Regional Ties: Nicaragua and Cambodia held their first political consultations in Managua, exploring cooperation in culture, tourism, trade and investment. Education & Giving: Canadian charity Generation Rising supports nearly 2,500 students across 14 schools in Nicaragua, Honduras and Paraguay; a New York parish also held an Oct. 25 fundraiser for Nicaraguan communities during the Festival of San Jerónimo.

Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18. Nicaraguan members celebrated the milestone, with church leaders describing the temple as a place of peace and family connection. Culture & Tourism: Cambodia and Nicaragua held their first political consultations in Managua, agreeing to explore cooperation in culture, tourism, trade and investment. Food & Farming: Drought linked to El Niño has hit Central American communities hard. Farmers in northern Nicaragua warned of poor rainfall and rising fertilizer costs, adding to concerns over harvests and food security. Civic Life: A report says Nicaraguans have been compelled to attend events promoting the government’s constitutional reforms.

Community Giving: A Communion breakfast in Seneca Falls on Oct. 25 will raise money for communities in Nicaragua, honoring the month-long Festival of San Jerónimo. Faith & Heritage: Nicaraguan Latter-day Saints celebrated the dedication of the country’s first temple in Managua on Oct. 18, with former missionaries joining local members for the milestone. Culture & Tourism: Nicaragua and Cambodia agreed to explore cooperation in culture and tourism during their first political consultations, held in Managua on Oct. 18–19. Food & Farming: El Niño-driven drought is putting pressure on Dry Corridor communities, including farmers in Nicaragua, as weak rainfall and rising fertilizer costs threaten harvests and food security.

Faith & Community: Nicaraguan Latter-day Saints celebrated the dedication of Managua’s first temple, with longtime members calling it a long-awaited blessing. Elder Ronald A. Rasband’s dedicatory prayer described the temple as a beacon of hope and peace. Culture & Tourism: Cambodia and Nicaragua agreed to explore cooperation in culture, tourism, trade and investment after their first political consultations in Managua. Nicaraguan Art: Miami-based Nicaraguan-American artist KA$PER has gone from mechanic to creating work for Latin music stars including Maluma and Ozuna. Food Security: El Niño-driven drought is threatening harvests across Central America. Farmers in northern Nicaragua have warned of poor rainfall and rising fertilizer costs, adding pressure on vulnerable families.

Culture & Tourism: Nicaragua and Cambodia agreed to explore cooperation in culture and tourism after their first political consultations in Managua, alongside plans to deepen trade and investment ties. Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, a long-awaited milestone celebrated by members, including pioneers baptized decades ago. Rural Life: El Niño-driven drought is worsening food insecurity across Central America’s Dry Corridor, including Nicaragua, where farmers face poor harvests and rising costs. Education: Canadian charity Generation Rising supports about 14 schools and nearly 2,500 students across Nicaragua, Honduras and Paraguay. Nicaraguan Talent: Nicaraguan-American artist KA$PER has built a career creating work for Latin music stars and global brands, while Nicaraguan-born master blender Lorena Vásquez has helped shape Guatemala’s Zacapa rum for four decades.

Nicaragua Abroad: Nicaraguan-born master blender Lorena Vásquez has spent about 40 years shaping Guatemala’s Zacapa rum, helping elevate it from a cocktail staple to a sipping spirit. Nicaraguan-American artist KA$PER, who moved from mechanic work to creating for Latin music stars, is building a career in Miami. Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18. Members celebrated the long-awaited opening, which fulfilled a promise recalled by longtime churchgoers and former missionaries. Food Security: El Niño-driven drought is hitting Nicaragua’s Dry Corridor, where farmers reported poor rainfall prospects as fertilizer costs rose. Across the region, failed crops and dry wells are leaving families short of food. Cultural Ties: Nicaragua and Cambodia held their first political consultations in Managua, discussing cooperation in areas including culture, tourism, trade and investment.

Food Security: El Niño-driven drought is worsening hunger across Central America’s Dry Corridor. Farmers in northern Nicaragua warned of poor rainfall and sharply higher fertilizer costs, while failed crops and dry wells are putting families across the region at risk. Regional Ties: Nicaragua and Cambodia agreed to deepen cooperation, including in culture, tourism, trade and investment, after talks in Managua. Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, fulfilling a decades-old hope for local members. Nicaraguan Talent: Miami-based Nicaraguan-American artist KA$PER has built a career creating work for Latin music stars and global brands. Nicaraguan-born master blender Lorena Vásquez has also spent four decades shaping Guatemala’s celebrated Zacapa rum.

Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple, dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, has brought long-awaited joy to members. Two pioneers of the church in Nicaragua described the dedication as the fulfillment of a promise, while former missionaries reunited to celebrate the milestone. Nicaraguan Art: Nicaraguan-American artist KA$PER has gone from working as a Miami mechanic to creating art for Latin music stars including Maluma, Ozuna and Nicky Jam. He still builds his creative career in Miami, where a painting posted online during the pandemic helped launch his business. Food & Drink: Nicaraguan-born Lorena Vásquez has spent about 40 years shaping Guatemala’s Zacapa rum. Trained in pharmaceutical chemistry and food technology, she brought a scientific approach to blending and helped establish rum as a spirit to sip and savor.