Nicaraguan police on Friday raided the premises of independent newspaper La Prensa, which had branded the government a “dictatorship” after being forced to suspend its print edition.
The publication announced the suspension on Thursday, blaming customs for refusing to release its paper imports.
La Prensa was the only national independent daily newspaper remaining in circulation at a time when the government was accused of repressing opponents.
Nicaragua is gearing up for a general election in November but since the beginning of June, authorities have detained 32 opposition figures, including seven with aspirations of challenging President Daniel Ortega, who is seeking a fourth successive term.
According to an official police statement, the newspaper’s managers are being investigated for “customs fraud and money laundering.”
Police took control of the premises at midday and said the newspaper’s warehouses were in “custody.”
During the raid, some of the paper’s journalists said internet access and electricity were cut off, while officers prevented them from using their mobile telephones inside the building.
Pro-government media published photos of La Prensa’s warehouses on social media, claiming they had no reason to halt their print version.
“In the warehouses of La Prensa newspaper, there is plenty of paper available so the company can continue printing its newspaper,” Canal 4 posted on social media.
However, La Prensa staff said that the amount of paper was not enough to print even one edition.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its special rapporteur for freedom of expression criticized the raid and condemned the “constant official persecution of the press in Nicaragua.”
The episode marks the second time the 95-year-old newspaper, a tough critic of the government, has suspended its print edition, having previously done so in 2019 when it similarly accused customs of refusing to release primary materials.