Nicaragua bans visitors from bringing Bibles into the country
Nicaragua has implemented a ban prohibiting tourists from bringing Bibles into the country, a move confirmed by notices posted at Tica Bus terminals in Costa Rica that serve routes to the Nicaraguan capital, Managua.
The restrictions, which also apply to newspapers, magazines, books, drones and cameras, have been in place for over six months, according to representatives from Tica Bus in Honduras and El Salvador who confirmed the existence of the policy.
It is part of a broader pattern of escalating repression against religious freedom and civil liberties in Nicaragua, where authorities have shut down more than 5,000 independent civil society organisations since April 2018, including over 1,300 with religious affiliations.
“Public religious processions have been banned unless organised by groups aligned with the government. In several documented cases, religious leaders have been detained arbitrarily, their movements restricted and their activities subject to state approval,” Christian Post said.
Daniel Ortega, former bank robber and leader of the socialist Sandinista National Liberation Front (“FSLN”) Party, has been the dictator President of Nicaragua since 2007. From February 2025, Ortega has been co-dictator co-President, sharing the role with his wife, Rosario Murillo.
“Churches have been among the most outspoken critics of President Daniel Ortega’s regime,” Christianity Daily reported.
“A [2025] CSW report, ‘Total Control: The Eradication of Independent Voices in Nicaragua’, identified 222 cases of religious persecution during [2024] alone, including forced cancellations of worship services, police surveillance, and requirements that clergy check in weekly with authorities. The same investigation documented the detention of 46 religious leaders in 2024, with some released rapidly and others held for prolonged periods,” the outlet added.
The UK-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (“CSW”) has condemned the ban on visitors bringing a Bible into the country, calling it highly concerning given the current context of repression. The group has urged the Nicaraguan government to lift the restriction immediately.
