Nicaragua has officially withdrawn from UNESCO following the organization’s decision to honor the exiled Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa with its 2025 World Press Freedom Prize.
The move marks a sharp escalation in the Ortega government’s longstanding clash with international institutions over freedom of expression and press rights.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay expressed regret over the withdrawal, emphasizing that the decision will deprive Nicaraguans of crucial international cooperation in education, science, and culture.
She reaffirmed the organization's commitment to defending press freedom, stating it remains "fully within its mandate."
The award to La Prensa was recommended by an independent international jury and is part of UNESCO’s annual Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, established in 1997 to honor journalists and media organizations facing threats or persecution.
La Prensa, one of Nicaragua’s oldest newspapers, has been operating in exile since a government crackdown in 2021 led to the arrest of its general manager, Juan Lorenzo Holmann. He was later deported to the United States.
Authorities accused the newspaper of promoting foreign intervention, a charge widely condemned by press freedom advocates.
Nicaragua's withdrawal adds to the list of political tensions involving UNESCO. The United States previously exited the organization in 2017 under President Donald Trump, citing alleged anti-Israel bias, before rejoining in 2023 under President Joe Biden.
This latest rupture signals increasing isolation for Nicaragua on the global stage, as the international community continues to spotlight human rights and media suppression under the Ortega regime.
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