Date: 2025-09-30Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1973 of 29 September 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua
**Executive Summary**
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1973, issued on 29 September 2025, amends Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 concerning restrictive measures against Nicaragua. The decision extends the restrictive measures until 15 October 2026 and updates the statement of reasons for two natural persons listed in the Annex. The decision enters into force the day following its publication.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment of Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720:**
* Article 9 is amended to replace "15 October 2025" with "15 October 2026," extending the restrictive measures by one year.
* The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 is amended. Entries 7 and 9 of the Annex are replaced:
* **Entry 7:** Updates information pertaining to Rosario María Murillo Zambrana, including her position as Co-President since February 2025, along with reasons for listing, citing responsibility for human rights violations and repression of civil society.
* **Entry 9:** Updates information pertaining to Juan Antonio VALLE VALLE, including his role as a Leader in the Nicaraguan National Police, along with reasons for listing, citing responsibility for human rights violations and repression of civil society.
* **Entry into Force:** The decision comes into force the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
**Impact Analysis**
**European Union Council**
* **Impact**: The EU Council is required to implement the amended decision, continuing restrictive measures against the listed individuals.
* **Action Required**: Implement the extended restrictive measures and updated listings as specified in the Annex.
**Rosario María Murillo Zambrana and Juan Antonio VALLE VALLE**
* **Impact**: Continuation of restrictive measures (sanctions) against them.
* **Action Required**: No action required. The measures are imposed upon them.
Key Entities Referenced
Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720: Council Decision concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua; amended by this decision.
European Union: The political and economic union to which this decision applies.
Nicaragua: The country where the 'situation' is located, which is the subject of sanctions/restrictive measures.
Rosario María MURILLO ZAMBRANA: Co-President of the Republic of Nicaragua, listed as subject to restrictive measures.
Juan Antonio VALLE VALLE: Leader in Nicaraguan National Police, listed as subject to restrictive measures.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/1973 30.9.2025
COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/1973
of 29 September 2025
amending Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in
Nicaragua
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
(1) On 14 October 2019, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720(1).
(2) Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 applies until 15 October 2025. On the basis of a review of that Decision, the restrictive
measures set out therein should be extended until 15 October 2026, and the statement of reasons for two natural
persons listed in the Annex thereto should be updated.
(3) Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 is amended as follows:
(1) in Article 9, the date ‘15 October 2025’ is replaced by ‘15 October 2026’;
(2) the Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 29 September 2025.
For the Council
The President
M. BØDSKOV
(1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 of 14 October 2019 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua (OJ
L 262, 15.10.2019, p. 58, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2019/1720/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1973/oj 1/3ANNEX
In the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720, under the heading ‘A. Natural persons referred to in Articles 1(1) and 2(1)’, entries 7 and 9 are replaced by the following:
Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing
‘7. Rosario María MURILLO Position(s): Co-President of the Republic of Co-President of Nicaragua since February 2025, First Lady of Nicaragua and a leader 2.8.2021
ZAMBRANA Nicaragua (since February 2025, previously of the Sandinista Youth. Vice President of Nicaragua from January 2017 to February
Vice President, since 2017). Wife of President 2025. She played an instrumental role in encouraging and justifying the repression of
Alias: Rosario María MURILLO
Daniel Ortega opposition demonstrations by the Nicaraguan National Police in 2018. In June 2021,
DE ORTEGA
she publicly threatened the Nicaraguan opposition and discredited independent
Date of birth: 22 June 1951
journalists. Those threats have been repeated since then. In February 2023, Daniel
Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Ortega revealed that Rosario María Murillo Zambrana is the instigator of new
repressions, namely related to the expulsion and deprivation of citizenship of 222
Gender: female political prisoners.
Nationality: Nicaraguan She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of
civil society and democratic opposition, and for undermining democracy in
Passport number: A00000106 (Nicaragua)
Nicaragua.
2/3
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1973/oj
EN
OJ
L,
30.9.2025Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing
9. Juan Antonio VALLE VALLE Position(s): Leader in Nicaraguan National As leader in the rank of senior commissioner (second highest rank) of the Nicaraguan 2.8.2021’
Police National Police (NNP) and until February 2025 in a leading position in the police in
Managua, Juan Antonio Valle Valle is responsible for repeated acts of police brutality
Rank: General/Senior Commissioner
and the excessive use of force which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, for
Date of birth: 4 May 1963 arbitrary arrests and detentions, for violations of freedom of expression and for
preventing demonstrations against the government.
Place of birth: Matagalpa, Nicaragua
He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression
Gender: male of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua.
Nationality: Nicaraguan
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1973/oj
3/3
OJ
L,
30.9.2025
EN