A complete of 121,000 hectares to an organization “shut” to the regime
International Group is an unknown participant within the mining enterprise and doesn’t even “seem in Nicaragua’s gold export data,” environmentalist warns.
HAVANA TIMES – In simply seven days, Nicaragua’s Ministry of Vitality and Mines has granted eight mining concessions—totaling roughly 121,877 hectares—to the corporate International Group S.A., which, based on environmentalist Amaru Ruiz, is led by Nicaraguans near the Ortega-Murillo household.
The open-pit mining concessions are unfold throughout 15 municipalities in northern and central Nicaragua for the exploitation of each metallic and non-metallic minerals, based on eight ministerial agreements printed within the Official Gazette La Gaceta between July 17 and 23, 2025.
The primary three tons have been formally granted on July 17. 5 days later, on July 22, 4 extra have been awarded, and on July 23, one further lot was handed over.
These eight tons are positioned within the municipalities of El Jícaro, Ciudad Antigua, Telpaneca, San Juan del Río Coco, San Fernando, Mozonte, Ocotal, Totogalpa, Palacagüina, Villa Sandino, Acoyapa, El Coral, Matiguás, Muy Muy, and Boaco.
Basic Proxy Is a Rock Live performance “Organizer”
International Group S.A., formally registered in 2021, is represented by Mario Jose Reyes Morales, whereas the final proxy for administration is Deybi Josue García Gutierrez, based on the Ministry of Vitality and Mines’s ministerial agreements. Each are Nicaraguan nationals.
Amaru Ruiz, president of the Fundacion del Río, acknowledged he has data that “suggests” International Group S.A. is linked to the household of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo and is run by “entrance males.”
He specified that the corporate’s common proxy, Deybi Josue Garcia, is publicly often called an “organizer of rock festivals tied to the regime.” Till just a few years in the past, these concert events have been primarily held in bars in Managua’s Hippos Zone.
One other operator of the agency is Nicaraguan Carlos Arturo Gallese Ruiz, who has been recognized as a “paramilitary” determine and is reportedly near one in all Ortega and Murillo’s sons, based on a report by Artículo66.
“I can’t certify or say with full certainty that there’s a direct hyperlink [to the Ortega-Murillo family]. However given the traits of these behind International Group, it’s attainable that that is a part of a course of of putting in entrance males in these financial actions,” mentioned Ruiz, who was denationalized by the regime.
He additionally questioned the truth that the mining firm seems to haven’t any mother or father firm—or at the very least none is called in public data—as required by the 2018 Regulation In opposition to Cash Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and Financing of the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
“International Group has no recognized expertise, no clear origin, and doesn’t seem in Nicaragua’s gold export data,” he emphasised.
International Group Obtained “Expedited” Concessions
Ruiz identified one other irregularity within the course of: the pace with which the concessions have been granted. Based on the ministerial agreements, the 121,877 hectares have been requested on February 5, 2025. Inside 5 months, the Ministry of Vitality and Mines had already issued a mining land survey report, verifying that the applicant met the authorized, technical, and monetary necessities, and granted the concessions.
“The timeline for granting these mining concessions was drastically shortened,” the environmentalist mentioned.
The ministerial resolutions additionally state that on Might 6, 2025, the Legal professional Basic’s Workplace for Municipalities issued a positive opinion on International Group’s request. Nevertheless, it stays unknown whether or not any environmental research have been performed.
Ruiz famous that the pace with which these concessions have been delivered resembles the “preferential remedy” that Chinese language-capital corporations obtain in Nicaragua—entities which have shortly gained floor within the nation’s mining sector.
Mining Concessions in Nicaragua
As of August 2024, Nicaragua had granted 248 mining concessions and had 115 further functions pending assessment.
Nicaragua’s mining exports reached $1.391 billion in 2024, a 20% improve in comparison with 2023, based on the Central Financial institution of Nicaragua.
That progress was pushed by will increase in each gold (20%) and silver (24.6%) exports, on account of rising contract costs and better export volumes, based on the state’s issuing financial institution.
Gold is Nicaragua’s prime export product. Calibre Mining—a publicly traded Canadian firm working within the nation since 2009—was the most important exporter in 2023, based on official figures.
First printed in Spanish by Confidencial and translated and posted in English by Havana Instances.
