Sec. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS

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## SEC. 2 SENSE OF CONGRESS It is the sense of Congress that— ####

(1)ongoing efforts by the government of President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua to suppress the voice and actions of political opponents through intimidation and unlawful detainment, civil society, and independent news media violate the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of the people of Nicaragua; ####

(2)Congress unequivocally condemns the politically motivated and unlawful detention of presidential candidates Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga, and Juan Sebastian Chamorro; ####

(3)Congress unequivocally condemns the passage of the Foreign Agents Regulation Law, the Special Cybercrimes Law, the Self-Determination Law, and the Consumer Protection Law by the National Assembly of Nicaragua, which represent clear attempts by the Ortega government to curtail the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of the people of Nicaragua; ####

(4)Congress recognizes that free, fair, and transparent elections predicated on robust reform measures and the presence of domestic and international observers represent the best opportunity for the people of Nicaragua to restore democracy and reach a peaceful solution to the political and social crisis in Nicaragua; ####

(5)the United States recognizes the right of the people of Nicaragua to freely determine their own political future as vital to ensuring the sustainable restoration of democracy in their country; ####

(6)the United States should align the use of diplomatic engagement and all other foreign policy tools, including the use of targeted sanctions, in support of efforts by democratic political actors and civil society in Nicaragua to advance the necessary conditions for free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua; ####

(7)the United States, in order to maximize the effectiveness of efforts described in paragraph (6), should— #####

(A)coordinate with diplomatic partners, including the Government of Canada, the European Union, and partners in Latin America and the Caribbean; #####

(B)advance diplomatic initiatives in consultation with the Organization of American States and the United Nations; and #####

(C)thoroughly investigate the assets and holdings of the Nicaraguan Armed Forces in the United States and consider appropriate actions to hold such forces accountable for gross violations of human rights; and ####

(8)pursuant to section 6(b) of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018, the President should waive the application of restrictions under section 4 of that Act and the sanctions under section 5 of that Act if the Secretary of State certifies that the Government of Nicaragua is taking the steps identified in section 6(a) of that Act, including taking steps to “to hold free and fair elections overseen by credible domestic and international observers”.