Nicaragua

See the Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Nicaragua for information on U.S. - Nicaragua relations.

Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety:  Highways connecting major cities are generally in good condition, but secondary roads are potholed, poorly lit, frequently narrow, and lack shoulders.  Most roads on the Caribbean Coast are unpaved. Road signs throughout the country are poor-to-non-existent. 

Road travel after dark is hazardous in all areas.   For safety, carry a cellular phone in case of emergency, and do not drive outside urban areas after dark.

Watch for:

• Damaged roads during the rainy season;
• Bicycles, oxcarts, animals, and vehicles without lights, even on main roads;  
• Motorcycles darting between traffic with little or no warning;
• Pedestrians on busy roads;
• Other vehicles in poor condition;
• Drivers passing or parking on blind corners;
• Drivers signaling a turn by sticking their hand out the window.

Traffic Laws:  If you are involved in a traffic accident, wait for police to arrive and follow their instructions.  Do not move your vehicle at all unless a police officer tells you to do so, or you will be legally liable for the accident, whether or not you caused it.

Nicaraguan law requires that police take a driver into custody for:

• driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and/or
• being involved in an accident that causes serious injury or death.

The minimum detention period is 48 hours.  In fatal accidents, drivers are held until they reach an agreement with the victim’s family.

To avoid liability, consider hiring a professional driver through a reputable hotel.  

All drivers (in rented or owned vehicles) must carry: 

• driver’s license,
• proof of insurance,
• vehicle registration,
• emergency triangle,
• fire extinguisher, and
• inspection and registration stickers (“Calcomania de Revision” and “Calcomania de Matricula” issued by police).

Penalties for not having the above include fines and/or towing to a pound.  For more information about transit laws, Nicaraguan driver’s permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, please check with the Nicaraguan National Police or the Embassy of Nicaragua.

Traffic Stops:  Transit police conduct most traffic stops on foot at locations marked by traffic cones.  The transit police are more likely to stop those in rental cars and with foreign license plates. 

Transit police often demand on-the-spot bribes in lieu of fines.  If this happens, request a receipt and the officer's name and badge number.  To report mistreatment by police, file a complaint with Nicaragua’s National Police and forward your complaint to the U.S. Consular Section in Managua.  Also, advise your rental car agency if police say their vehicles do not meet transit regulations.

If you receive a traffic violation, police will confiscate your driver's license until you pay the fine at a bank.  After paying, take proof of payment to Transit Police Headquarters (or a police station if outside Managua) to retrieve your license.  Be aware that foreigners are rarely able to recover their licenses in a timely manner because of transfer delays to the Transit Police.  Most foreigners leave Nicaragua before the transfer occurs.  Please consult the Nicaraguan National Police (in Spanish) for more information about how to pay for or appeal traffic infractions and recover confiscated licenses.

Public Transportation:  Buses and mototaxis (caponeras) often lack proper safety equipment.

• Avoid public buses due to safety and crime concerns. 
• Use only mototaxis (caponeras) recommended by trusted sources and only for short trips. 
• Use only licensed taxis recommended by airport authorities, major hotels, restaurants, or other trusted sources.
• Have small bills because many drivers will not make change.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Also, we suggest that you visit the website of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism and national transit authority.

Transportation by Water:  Prior to embarking in a panga, ferry, or other type of boat, consult with local naval or police authorities, when present on-site, about the safety of setting out in current local weather conditions.  Exercise  reasonable caution in the face of possibly overloaded or otherwise unsafe vessels.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Nicaragua’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Nicaragua’s air carrier operations.  Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

When flying to remote locales, travelers should be aware that airports are likely to be poorly developed facilities with short airstrips, minimal safety equipment, and little boarding security.

Safety and Security

Civil Unrest:  Political, economic, and social demonstrations occur frequently throughout the country.  Typically, protests in Managua happen at major intersections or traffic circles (rotundas).  Outside of the capital, they often take the form of road and highway blockages.  Activities observed during past protests include:

• use of tear gas and rubber bullets
• fireworks (often launched via improvised mortars)
• rock-throwing
• tire and/or vehicle burning
• road blocks

Because even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can escalate into violence, we advise you to avoid crowds and blockades during such occurrences, to monitor local media reports, and to exercise caution when near any large gathering.

Certain holidays and celebrations draw large crowds and can lead to road closures and disruption of public transportation. Be aware of those days and plan accordingly.  Events for these celebrations are often announced only days in advance, making it difficult to plan ahead.  A partial list of such holidays/celebrations includes:

• Semana Santa (the week before Easter)
• Repliegue Histórico a Masaya (usually occurs sometime in late June)
• July 19 celebration of the Sandinista Revolution
• Celebration in Managua of Santo Domingo, the Patron Saint of the city (August 1^st and August 10^th)
• Feast of Purísima (December 8). 

The next major election in Nicaragua will be in November 2016 for President and the National Assembly, and we anticipate (and have already begun to see) demonstrations and political rallies on an increasing scale as the election nears.  During the last Presidential election in 2011, there were widespread demonstrations and political rallies all over Managua.  Violence also escalated in rural communities.  Confrontations between the largest political parties erupted along main thoroughfares and locked down Managua for brief periods.

Travel Restrictions:  All travel by U.S. government personnel to the Northern and Southern Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions must be pre-approved due to crime and transportation safety concerns.

Crime:  Violent crime occurs throughout Nicaragua, and street crime is very common.  There have been a large number of reports of vehicles burglarized in restaurant, gas station, and convenience store parking lots. Pick-pocketing and occasional armed robberies occur on crowded buses, at bus stops, in taxis, and in open markets like the Oriental and Huembes Markets.  We prohibit off-duty U.S. government personnel from entering the Oriental Market due to high levels of crime and other illicit activity. 

Police presence is extremely limited outside of major urban areas, including in the remote beach communities on the Pacific Coast and Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast.    

Several U.S. citizens have been the victims of sexual assault in recent years.  Most reported sexual assaults occurred in beach locations or at hotels at both remote and popular tourist destinations.

Due to an increase in crimes committed against foreigners driving rented vehicles, we recommend that you exercise extreme caution when renting or driving vehicles in Nicaragua.  Dozens of people who have rented cars have reported that “Good Samaritans” pulled over to assist them to change a flat tire.  While the driver was distracted, an accomplice stole the driver’s possessions.     

Street crime and petty theft are common problems in Puerto Cabezas, Bluefields, the Corn Islands, and other urban areas along the Caribbean Coast.  Due to the area’s geographical isolation, our ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens who choose to travel in the Caribbean coastal area is very limited.  Police presence is minimal on the Corn Islands, and there are no forensic doctors there, so victims of violent crimes, including sexual assault, must travel to Bluefields at their own expense for medical examinations and collection of evidence.  In several recent cases, assault victims have reported police reluctance to produce police reports or pursue charges against perpetrators.  Please report any such incidents to the Embassy.

Victims of Crime:   Report crimes, including sexual assault, to the local police at 118 (Nicaraguan equivalent of “911,” in Spanish) or 101 (Tourist Emergency Hotline, English-speaking operators but only reachable from Claro cell phones) and contact the U.S. Embassy at 2252-7100.  

We can:

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
•  contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical
• support in cases of destitution
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime.  You may find the police, including the Nicaraguan National Police, unable to assist in emergencies or respond effectively due to a lack of resources, vehicles, and personnel.

Presenting copies of receipts or other proof of ownership of high-value items such as computers, cameras, tablets, and smart phones may assist in the completion of police reports. However, we have received reports of police refusing to file reports of a crime.     

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas.

Please also see our tips to avoid becoming a crime victim in Nicaragua.

See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information on scams.

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

Coastal Disputes:  On the Caribbean Coast, nautical travelers should be aware that there is an ongoing boundary dispute with Colombia over maritime waters surrounding the San Andres Island archipelago. The Nicaraguan Navy has challenged vessels transiting its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

• Nicaragua and Costa Rica have stationed security forces at Harbor Head (also called Isla Calero) at the eastern end of the San Juan River due to a border dispute. 
• Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador have maritime and land disputes over islands and access to fishing rights in the Gulf of Fonseca on the Pacific Coast, a closed sea under international law.

For further information:

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 
• Call us in Washington at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the State Department's travel website for Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts.
• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  
• See traveling safely abroad for useful travel tips.