Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1973 of 29 September 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua

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