AGP Executive Report

Faith and Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, bringing worship closer for members who once traveled abroad for temple ceremonies. Tourism: Intrepid Travel plans to add Matagalpa to its 2027 itineraries, part of a push toward lesser-known destinations and locally immersive trips. Nicaraguans Abroad: Costa Rican authorities identified seven possible trafficking victims, including Nicaraguan women, during a raid at a Sámara bar and restaurant; an alleged manager was arrested. Property Rights: Nicaragua has begun returning homes confiscated from nine American retirees in Tola, days after the seizure was reported. Officials have not explained the confiscations or confirmed whether all nine homes will be returned.

Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Sunday, ending decades of travel abroad for members seeking temple worship. Elder Ronald A. Rasband said the temple will bring blessings to members and others across the country. Property Rights: Officials have reportedly begun returning nine luxury homes in Tola seized from American retirees in August, days after the confiscations were exposed; authorities have offered no public explanation. Family Life: A writer recalls meeting a Nicaraguan mother with one cloth diaper for several children, an encounter that led her to explore diaper-free infant care. Travel: Intrepid Travel’s 2027 trips add Matagalpa to its destinations, offering travelers a new way to explore Nicaragua’s highlands. Rights & Activism: Nicaraguan families are seeking answers as dissenters reportedly vanish into state custody.

Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple was dedicated in Managua on Oct. 18, ending decades of long journeys abroad for local members seeking temple ordinances. Property Rights: Authorities have begun returning homes seized from nine American retirees in Tola, days after the confiscations were reported; officials have offered no public explanation. Safety Abroad: Costa Rican officials identified seven possible trafficking victims, including Nicaraguan women, during a raid on a Sámara restaurant; the investigation is ongoing. Travel: New 2027 tours will include Matagalpa, offering visitors a chance to explore more of Nicaragua beyond its usual destinations. Civil Liberties: Nicaraguan families are still seeking answers about dissenters who have disappeared into state custody.

Faith & Community: Nicaragua’s first Latter-day Saint temple is set for dedication in Managua today, bringing temple worship closer to members who have long traveled abroad for ceremonies. Property Rights: Officials have begun returning keys to homes seized from nine American retirees in Tola, but authorities have offered no explanation and it remains unclear whether all properties will be returned. Travel: Intrepid Travel has added Matagalpa to its 2027 tours, offering visitors a new way to explore Nicaragua’s northern highlands. Civil Liberties: Nicaraguan families are seeking answers about dissenters who have disappeared into state custody.

Property Rights: Nicaragua has begun returning luxury homes confiscated from nine American retirees in Tola, days after the seizure was reported. Officials have offered no explanation, and it remains unclear whether all nine properties will be returned. Families Seeking Answers: Relatives of retired army colonel Carlos Brenes and his wife say they have received no information since the couple were taken by police in 2025. Their case is among a growing number of reported disappearances in Nicaragua. Travel: Intrepid Travel has added Matagalpa to its 2027 tour offerings, part of a wider expansion focused on lesser-known destinations and locally rooted experiences. Nicaraguan Roots: Filmmaker Dito Montiel says his Nicaraguan father’s humility helped him connect with the faith-and-forgiveness story behind his upcoming film, Live Like That.

Property Rights: Nicaragua has begun returning luxury homes seized from nine American retirees in Tola, days after the confiscations were reported. Officials have not explained the seizure or said whether all nine properties will be returned. Travel: Intrepid Travel has added Matagalpa to its 2027 trips, offering visitors a new way to explore Nicaragua’s northern highlands. Transnica has also restarted bus service between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Families Seeking Answers: Relatives of retired army colonel Carlos Brenes and his wife say they have received no information since the couple were reportedly taken by police in 2025. Nicaraguan Music Abroad: Appalatin, a band blending Appalachian folk with Latin sounds, features musicians from Nicaragua, Ecuador and Guatemala and is set to open an arts series in Ohio.

Music: Louisville ensemble Appalatin opens an arts season Oct. 18 with Appalachian folk and Latin sounds, shaped by musicians from Nicaragua, Ecuador and Guatemala. Travel: Intrepid Travel has added Matagalpa to its 2027 tour destinations, offering visitors a new way to explore Nicaragua’s northern highlands. Nicaraguan Cuisine: Chef Gabriela Chamorro will bring Nicaraguan flavors to a one-night Dubai collaboration with Sushisamba on Oct. 21. Families Seeking Answers: Relatives of retired colonel Carlos Brenes and his wife say they still have no information about the couple, who were reportedly taken by police in 2025.@endsection

Families Seek Answers: Relatives of retired Nicaraguan colonel Carlos Brenes and his wife say the couple vanished after residents saw police take them in August 2025. The family has received no information about their whereabouts or well-being. Nicaraguan Flavors Abroad: Chef Gabriela Chamorro will bring Nicaraguan-inspired dishes to a one-night Dubai collaboration with Sushisamba on Oct. 21, blending the cuisine with Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei cooking. Travel to Matagalpa: Intrepid Travel has added the Nicaraguan region to its 2027 tour lineup, part of an expansion focused on lesser-known destinations. Land Rights: A border law declaring territory within 15 kilometers of Nicaragua’s borders state property has left farmers and Indigenous communities uncertain about ownership and their ability to sell, inherit or invest in land. Nicaraguan Roots in Music: Colombian-Nicaraguan artist Cain Culto’s debut album, “CULTO,” draws on Appalachian and Colombian sounds while exploring identity, spirituality and self-acceptance.

Disappearances: The family of retired Army Colonel Carlos Brenes says police took him and his wife from their home in August 2025. They still have no word on where the couple are or whether they are in custody. Land Rights: Nicaragua’s expanded border zone, now designated state property, puts landowners and Indigenous communities in limbo across more than 14% of the country, with rules on existing claims still unclear. Travel: Intrepid Travel has added Matagalpa to its 2027 tour destinations, tapping interest in lesser-known places and closer-to-home trips. Nicaraguan Cuisine: Chef Gabriela Chamorro will bring Central American flavors to a Dubai dinner pairing her cooking with Nikkei cuisine on October 21. Arts & Identity: Colombian-Nicaraguan artist Cain Culto’s debut album blends Appalachian and Colombian sounds while exploring spirituality, self-acceptance and identity.

Travel: Intrepid Travel’s 2027 lineup includes new trips to Matagalpa, bringing visitors to one of Nicaragua’s coffee-growing regions. Food: Nicaraguan chef Gabriela Chamorro is teaming up with Dubai’s Sushisamba for a one-night menu blending Nicaraguan and Nikkei flavors. Heritage: Hispanic Heritage Month concludes Oct. 15; it begins on Sept. 15, the anniversary of Nicaragua and four other Central American nations’ independence. Football: Haiti has the edge over Nicaragua in recent CONCACAF meetings, with a stronger record and higher FIFA ranking ahead of their latest clash. Families on the Move: A Venezuelan mother and daughter survived a 2023 shipwreck near Nicaragua’s Corn Islands; less than two years later, U.S. immigration agents detained the mother in Texas, separating them. Rights: The family of former army colonel Carlos Brenes says they have had no news of him or his wife since residents saw police take them away in August 2025. Music: Colombian-Nicaraguan artist Cain Culto’s debut album, “CULTO,” draws on his upbringing between Florida and Kentucky and explores identity, spirituality and self-acceptance.

Missing Relatives: A Nicaraguan family says it has had no word on retired Colonel Carlos Brenes and his wife since they were reportedly taken by police in August 2025. Their daughter says the family’s unanswered pleas have been “a form of torture.” Faith and Community: Authorities have barred an estimated 27,286 religious processions and public acts of devotion since 2019, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. This year, more than 400 Stations of the Cross processions were reportedly prohibited. Land and Livelihoods: A border law placing a 15-kilometer strip under state ownership has left farmers and Indigenous communities unsure of their property rights; legal experts estimate it affects more than 14% of the country’s territory.

Faith & Public Life: By September, Nicaraguan authorities had barred an estimated 27,286 religious processions and other public acts of worship since 2019, including more than 400 Stations of the Cross this year. Land & Community: A border law placing a 15-kilometer strip under state ownership has left farmers, Indigenous communities and other residents uncertain about their property rights; one farmer says she has put planned investments on hold. Migration: A Nicaraguan farm worker in Minnesota says fear of deportation shadows his life, even as he sees the U.S. as safer than returning to a country he describes as politically troubled. Culture & Connections: Nicaraguan dance talents received awards, while Transnica restarted bus service between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, restoring a practical link for travelers across the region.

Migration: A 31-year-old Nicaraguan farmworker in Minnesota says he fled his country’s political situation but now lives in fear of arrest amid stepped-up immigration enforcement. Religious Life: A report says Nicaraguan authorities had barred more than 27,000 religious processions and public acts of devotion since 2019, including over 400 Stations of the Cross this year. Property Rights: Nine U.S. retirees’ vacation homes in Tola were seized in August and transferred to the Social Security Institute, a first known use of the practice against foreign owners. Cultural Heritage: Garifuna musicians are working to keep their language and traditions alive; Garifuna communities also live along Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast. Travel: Transnica has restarted bus service between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Religious Freedom: Nicaragua’s authorities have reportedly banned more than 27,000 religious processions and public acts of faith since 2019, including over 400 Stations of the Cross this year. The country’s bishops began a visit to Rome amid continuing pressure on the Catholic Church. Property Rights: Nine U.S. retirees’ vacation homes in Tola were seized in August and transferred to the Social Security Institute, according to a report; the owners say they received no official notice. Travel: Transnica has restarted bus service between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, restoring a cross-border option for travelers.

Property Seizures: Nicaragua’s government has taken nine vacation homes in Tola belonging to American retirees, transferring the properties to the Social Security Institute without notifying the owners. UK Travel: Nicaragua has lost visa-free entry to the UK; a report says the move followed a sharp rise in asylum claims by Nicaraguan visitors. Catholic Church: The country’s bishops are visiting Rome amid continued pressure on the Church. Pope Leo XIV’s hospitalization for lung surgery has disrupted his planned meetings, including one with the bishops. Getting Around: Transnica has restarted daily bus service between San José and Managua, restoring a key route for travelers and cross-border families. Tourism: Granada is among Lonely Planet’s recommended destinations for 2027, putting Nicaragua’s colonial city on a global travel list.

Faith & Society: Nicaragua’s bishops begin a visit to Rome this week amid continued pressure on the Catholic Church; a meeting with Pope Leo XIV is expected Friday. Travel: Granada made Lonely Planet’s list of 50 places to visit in 2027. Transnica has also restarted daily San José–Managua bus service while a court reviews its operating permit. Regional Safety: A tsunami alert issued for Nicaragua after powerful earthquakes in Panama was later lifted. Environment: Nicaragua joined eight other countries in an INTERPOL operation that reported 233 arrests tied to environmental crimes and identified 60,000 hectares of illegally cleared forest.