Nicaragua Ends Visa-Free Entry for Cuban Travelers

Nicaragua has eliminated visa-free travel for Cuban citizens, requiring them to obtain pre-approved visas before entering the country. The policy shift, implemented in February 2026, closes a pathway that thousands of Cuban migrants have used since 2021 to reach the United States through Central America. The move comes amid intensified U.S. pressure on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government to restrict migration flows that Washington claims fuel people-smuggling networks.