NICARAGUA: IRANIANS AND LIBYANS WELCOME -- NO

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 002544 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA/VO AND CA/FPP DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/FO AND NEA/FO AND S/CT DEPT ALSO FOR DS/DO/ICI DEPT PLEASE PASS TO HUMAN SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING CENTER SOUTHCOM FOR FPA SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR J2, J3, AND J5 E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017 TAGS: CVIS IR LY NU PREL PTER VE SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: IRANIANS AND LIBYANS WELCOME -- NO VISAS NEEDED Classified By: Charge d'Affairs, a.i., Richard Sanders, reasons 1.5 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) According to a November 28 circular memo sent to all airlines operating out of Managua's international airport, the Government of Nicaragua (GON) now will allow all Libyan and Iranian passport holders (diplomatic, official and regular) to enter Nicaragua without visas. The GON states that it is making the change "to deepen ties with brother nations" and because Nicaragua does not have diplomatic missions in these countries. An unofficial translation of the memo follows in para. 4. 2 (S) Nicaragua coordinates its visa policy with Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras as part of the "Central American Four" (C-4) agreement, which permits border crossing with minimal documentation. The GON had been discussing with the other C-4 nations its proposal to permit diplomatic and official passport holders from Iran and Libya to enter Nicaragua without a visa. NOTE: The GON's proposal met with some resistance inside the C-4, including Honduran media reports that Iranians were entering Honduras illegally after flying into Nicaragua without any immigration checks. END NOTE. ¶3. (S) COMMENT: Over the past several months, there have been confirmed incidents of Iranians, mainly on official visits or using official passports, being waved through Nicaraguan customs and immigration at the airport with no checks at all. However, this formal announcement and its inclusion of Iranian and Libyan regular passport holders was unexpected. This announcement is the latest in a series of steps by the Ortega Administration to deepen and expand relations with countries of concern, especially Iran, Libya and Venezuela. The growing lack of transparency by this government in all areas, coupled with Ortega's express intent to expand ties with Iran, and support for Iran's defiance of the international community, raise the likelihood that this new move will make Nicaragua a convenient entry point to the region for Iran as it seeks to expand its influence and operations in the Hemisphere. ¶4. (C) UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF DGME CIRCULAR -------------- - TO: Airlines operating out of the Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport FROM: Captain Lenin Flores Aleman, Migration Office SUBJECT: DGME/MANS Circular 182/11/2007 DATE: Managua, November 28, 2007 Following the instructions of the Director General for Migration, Commandante Maria Antonieta Novoa, I have the honor to present to you Circular DGME/MANS/182/11/2007 which says: Reaffirming the will of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity to deepen ties of fraternity with brother countries, which are providing valuable cooperation unconditionally and in a sustainable manner to our people, MANAGUA 00002544 002 OF 002 That the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation has established, as a policy of the State, the facilitation of entry into the National Territory of citizens of these brother countries. The strengthening of relations with countries of the world who are lovers of peace and progress is a priority of our Government, and taking into consideration that the lack of diplomatic representation in these countries makes their travel to Nicaragua difficult, established: First: Nationals of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Grand Al-Jamahiria Arab Popular Socialist Libya, carrying diplomatic, service, official or regular passports, move from category "C" to category "A," exempt from the visa requirement. Second: This circular shall be made known to all airlines and national border posts for their immediate application. END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION SANDERS