A total of 128 vehicles and pieces of equipment—part of the 289 purchased for the Nicaraguan Army and National Police—arrived in the country over the weekend and were transported from Corinto port, Chinandega, to Managua.
The acquisition was made possible through a nearly $30 million loan taken by Nicaragua from the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus.
In July, the National Assembly—controlled by the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo—ratified two loan agreements with Belarus, which specify that the funds would be used to purchase 289 vehicles and equipment for the Army and National Police.
The legislature claimed the purchases were aimed at “combating drug trafficking, organized crime, and strengthening citizen security.”
Both the National Police and the Nicaraguan Army, under the control of Ortega and Murillo, have been accused by international organizations of committing and supporting crimes against humanity against the Nicaraguan population.
Over 200 Trucks for the Army
The decrees approved by the National Assembly last July state that $25.53 million would be allocated to equip the Nicaraguan Army with 205 vehicles, including off-road trucks—like those that have already arrived in the country—as well as dump trucks and water tankers.
In addition, the purchase of 29 construction machines was ordered, along with their respective spare parts, including excavators, tractors, and loaders. All of this equipment is also intended for the Nicaraguan Army.
The other loan contracted with Belarus amounted to $4.82 million, which was allocated to equip the National Police with 50 vehicles, including off-road and urban transport units.
The Ortega regime argued that the loan, which benefits the police vehicle fleet, would allow the institution to strengthen “surveillance and response to mass events and emergency situations, and improve monitoring during patron saint festivals, demonstrations, and natural disasters.”
Sanctioned Companies
The vehicles were purchased from Belarusian companies Belautomaz and Amkodor. Both were sanctioned in 2023 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The owners of both companies are reported to be part of the inner circle and key financiers of the Belarusian dictatorship. They have also been accused of benefiting from numerous state contracts, privatizations, and public loans in return for their loyalty to the Lukashenko regime.
The Ortega regime has secured at least six loans from Belarus, accumulating a debt of around $50 million with the government of Alexander Lukashenko—widely considered Europe’s last dictator due to accusations of electoral fraud, repression of opposition, human rights violations, and his political and military support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
The Lukashenko regime, like the Nicaraguan dictatorship, has been sanctioned by both the European Union and the United States. In Latin America, it receives support only from countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua—all governed by authoritarian regimes.
