VZCZCXRO6895
OO RUEHLMC
DE RUEHMU #2544/01 3420059
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 080059Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1762
INFO RUEHMU/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEPINS/HQ BICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAWJF/HQ INS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0108
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAORC/USCBP WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC IMMEDIATE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 002544 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/VO AND CA/FPP 
DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/FO AND NEA/FO AND S/CT 
DEPT ALSO FOR DS/DO/ICI 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO HUMAN SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING CENTER 
SOUTHCOM FOR FPA 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR J2, J3, AND J5 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017 
TAGS: CVIS IR LY NU PREL PTER VE
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: IRANIANS AND LIBYANS WELCOME -- NO 
VISAS NEEDED 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs, a.i., Richard Sanders, reasons 1.5 (b) 
 & (d) 
 
¶1. (C) According to a November 28 circular memo sent to all 
airlines operating out of Managua's international airport, 
the Government of Nicaragua (GON) now will allow all Libyan 
and Iranian passport holders (diplomatic, official and 
regular) to enter Nicaragua without visas.  The GON states 
that it is making the change "to deepen ties with brother 
nations" and because Nicaragua does not have diplomatic 
missions in these countries.  An unofficial translation of 
the memo follows in para. 4. 
 
2 (S) Nicaragua coordinates its visa policy with Guatemala, 
El Salvador, and Honduras as part of the "Central American 
Four" (C-4) agreement, which permits border crossing with 
minimal documentation.  The GON had been discussing with the 
other C-4 nations its proposal to permit diplomatic and 
official passport holders from Iran and Libya to enter 
Nicaragua without a visa.  NOTE: The GON's proposal met with 
some resistance inside the C-4, including Honduran media 
reports that Iranians were entering Honduras illegally after 
flying into Nicaragua without any immigration checks.  END 
NOTE. 
 
¶3. (S) COMMENT: Over the past several months, there have been 
confirmed incidents of Iranians, mainly on official visits or 
using official passports, being waved through Nicaraguan 
customs and immigration at the airport with no checks at all. 
 However, this formal announcement and its inclusion of 
Iranian and Libyan regular passport holders was unexpected. 
This announcement is the latest in a series of steps by the 
Ortega Administration to deepen and expand relations with 
countries of concern, especially Iran, Libya and Venezuela. 
The growing lack of transparency by this government in all 
areas, coupled with Ortega's express intent to expand ties 
with Iran, and support for Iran's defiance of the 
international community, raise the likelihood that this new 
move will make Nicaragua a convenient entry point to the 
region for Iran as it seeks to expand its influence and 
operations in the Hemisphere. 
 
¶4. (C) UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF DGME CIRCULAR 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
TO:  Airlines operating out of the Augusto Cesar Sandino 
International Airport 
 
FROM: Captain Lenin Flores Aleman, Migration Office 
 
SUBJECT: DGME/MANS Circular 182/11/2007 
 
DATE: Managua, November 28, 2007 
 
Following the instructions of the Director General for 
Migration, Commandante Maria Antonieta Novoa, I have the 
honor to present to you Circular DGME/MANS/182/11/2007 which 
says: 
 
Reaffirming the will of the Government of Reconciliation and 
National Unity to deepen ties of fraternity with brother 
countries, which are providing valuable cooperation 
unconditionally and in a sustainable manner to our people, 
 
 
MANAGUA 00002544  002 OF 002 
 
 
That the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation has 
established, as a policy of the State, the facilitation of 
entry into the National Territory of citizens of these 
brother countries. 
 
The strengthening of relations with countries of the world 
who are lovers of peace and progress is a priority of our 
Government, and taking into consideration that the lack of 
diplomatic representation in these countries makes their 
travel to Nicaragua difficult, established: 
 
First: Nationals of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the 
Grand Al-Jamahiria Arab Popular Socialist Libya, carrying 
diplomatic, service, official or regular passports, move from 
category "C" to category "A," exempt from the visa 
requirement. 
 
Second: This circular shall be made known to all airlines and 
national border posts for their immediate application. 
 
END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
SANDERS