Ortega’s regime dealt another blow to its former political ally, businessman Leonardo Torres, who will be removed from the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN), a chair he has held since mid-2018, after the president’s resignation. Former President of the Supreme Council of the Company, Private (Cosep) and now a political prisoner, José Adán Aguerri. This position was Torres’ last public contact with the dictatorship, after they directed the closure of organizations linked to the businessman.
Daniel Ortega ordered Torres Cespedes to end his term at BCN on May 31, 2022, and as of June 1, German Manolo Miranda became an “owning member”. Along with him, Francisco Jose Quiñones Murphy will also be a member of the state banking entity for a period of five years, in accordance with the Presidential Agreements 54-2022 and 59-2022, published in the Official Gazette La Gaceta, on Wednesday, April. 6.
Torres’ break with the regime has been known since November 2021. Digital media Divergentes reported that the businessman was unable to leave the country, as well as other regime officials whom the dictatorship did not authorize to travel.
In mid-December, the regime, through the Ministry of the Interior (MEGOP), ordered the abolition of the legal status of the Spanish-American University (AUSPAM), the Nicaraguan Council of Small and Medium Enterprises (Conimipyme), the Nicaraguan Chamber of Tourism Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Cantor), and the Association of Consultants for the Development of Small Enterprises. Intermediate (Acodep) and the Association of Nicaraguan Economists, all linked to Torres, according to reports from La Prensa and entrusted
And the businessman, who was also part of the Ortega regime delegation in the first national dialogue, in 2018, since his separation from the regime, has moved away from the independent media, which usually responds to him to address tourism and economic issues. It was also not seen in the media related to the government party.
Torres emerged in his struggle with the Sandinista Front. According to La Prensa newspaper, he participated in 2002 as a candidate for membership in the National Directorate of the Sandinista Front, but resigned after a period of his candidacy.
BanCorp Codes
Miranda and Quinonez are former directors of the sanctioned Banco Corporativo (Bancorp). His appointment comes a day after the regime separated from the BCN board of directors, Helio Montenegro Díaz, the former head of Produce Bank, and Tirso appointed Celedon Lacayo in his placechief executive officer of the real estate business of banker Ramiro Ortiz Gurdián, owner of Banco Promerica, which has a presence in nine countries in the region, and operates in Nicaragua under the Banpro name.
Celedon was associated with many structures associated with the business of the presidential couple, such as BanCorp, where he served as one of its directors, until Sanctions have been imposed on the entity by the United States governmentWhich led to bankruptcy.