Economic/Commercial Section

Property Office

Many foreign investors experience difficulties defending their property rights in Nicaragua. Property registries suffer from years of poor recordkeeping. Establishing a title history is often difficult. The wrongful expropriation of 28,000 properties in the 1980s has greatly complicated the process. Attracted by escalating property values, unscrupulous individuals have engaged in protracted confrontations with U.S. investors to wrest control of tourist properties along the Pacific coast in the Departments of Rivas and Chinandega. Judges and municipal authorities have been known to collude with such individuals, and a cottage industry supplies false titles and other documents to those who scheme to steal land. Property invasions usually go unchallenged by local law enforcement officials and in some cases turn violent.

Potential investors should engage competent local legal representation and investigate their purchases thoroughly in order to reduce the possibility of property disputes.

For more information you may contact Property Office staff directly at 011-505-2252-7100 (ext. 7539 or 7559), fax 011-505-2252-7564, or e-mail: managuapropoffice@state.gov.

Liaison Office for U.S. Claims

In December 2008, the Nicaraguan Attorney General’s Office created a liaison office for U.S. citizen property claimants awaiting the resolution of their cases as a result of property confiscations that occurred from 1979-1990.  The purpose of this office is to provide U.S. citizen claimants and the U.S. Embassy Property Office a point of contact in the Nicaraguan Government to discuss the status of U.S. property claims.  The coordinator of the liaison office is Ms. Rebeca Zuniga.  Ms. Zuniga is an attorney and notary public.  U.S. claimants can contact Ms. Zuniga at the following:

Ms. Rebeca Zuniga
Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Nicaragua
Mailing Address: Km. 3.5 Carretera Sur,
frente al restaurante Los Ranchos
Telephone: (505) 266-5437
E-mail: rzuniga@pgr.gob.ni

 If U.S. claimants would like to request a meeting with Ms. Zuniga, please contact the Property Office at: (505) 2252-7641 and (505) 2252-7539, or managuapropertyoffice@state.gov