Vice President Rosario Murillo announced the measure during her daily midday address yesterday. The prisoners, who have firm sentences, will move from penitentiary centers to a family cohabitation regime in their homes.
The step marks the third round of such releases this year. Officials say it will bring the total number of common prisoners sent to family coexistence in 2026 to 4,400. The government has used similar gestures repeatedly during Daniel Ortega’s administration to mark national holidays and promote family reunions.
Murillo described the May 30 action as a special session in the penitentiary centers that grants “another right” to at least 2,000 people held there. The releases apply only to common prisoners. The government has not linked the measure to any political detainees.
The announcement comes as the Ortega administration continues its long-standing practice of periodic prisoner releases tied to civic dates. Previous rounds this year occurred in February and early April. Each time, authorities have presented the moves as efforts to ease overcrowding and allow family contact.
For Nicaraguans and foreign residents who travel in and out of the country, a separate U.S. policy change has created practical complications in recent weeks.
More than 25 days after the requirement took effect on April 2, questions remain about how the new U.S. visa bond program works for Nicaraguan applicants seeking B1 or B2 visas for tourism or business. The U.S. State Department added Nicaragua to a list of 50 countries whose nationals must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 if a consular officer finds them otherwise eligible.
The bond is paid only after the interview and conditional approval. Applicants receive instructions from the consular officer and must complete the process through the official U.S. Treasury Department platform Pay.gov within 30 days. Officials warn that payments made through any third-party site will not be accepted and will not be refunded.
La Prensa reported that many applicants still have doubts about the exact validity period of the resulting visa and the precise conditions for the bond’s return. In practice, the visas issued under the program often carry a single-entry status and a shorter validity, such as three months, according to immigration consultants quoted in the newspaper. The bond itself is refundable only if the traveler returns home in compliance with the visa terms and does not overstay.
The requirement applies regardless of where the application is filed. It has added an extra administrative layer for families planning cross-border visits and for expats in Nicaragua who host U.S.-bound relatives. U.S. Embassy officials in Managua have confirmed the rules on their public channels and urged applicants to follow the exact instructions provided during the interview. The embassy has also reminded people that the bond does not guarantee visa approval.
Travelers with plans involving Managua’s Augusto César Sandino International Airport are advised to double-check current entry and exit rules directly with their airline and the relevant consulate before departure. No changes apply to visas already issued before April 2.
The prisoner release and the visa bond program represent two distinct developments in Nicaragua this spring. One offers a familiar government gesture aimed at families inside the country. The other introduces new financial and procedural steps for those seeking to travel to the United States.
Authorities have not announced any further details on the exact list of prisoners scheduled for release on May 30 or any additional visa bond adjustments. Officials say the May 30 ceremony will proceed as planned in the penitentiary centers.
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