Crime in Nicaragua

Crime patterns in Nicaragua include pickpocketing, bag-snatching, vehicle burglary, robbery with intimidation, robbery involving violence, homicide, sexual assault, violence against women, femicide, drug supply and identity or payment fraud. Markets, bus terminals, public transport, parking areas and tourist locations require particular care. Vehicle attacks, ATM extortion and express kidnapping have also been reported, especially when people use unauthorized taxis. Remote border and rural areas and isolated parts of the Caribbean Coast can have longer travel and communication times and more limited police presence. The Policía Nacional is Nicaragua's national police service. It handles prevention, investigation and prosecution support, and its emergency line 118 operates free of charge around the clock. Callers should give the exact location, type of incident and known descriptions of people or vehicles, then follow the operator's instructions. For non-immediate cases, a report can be submitted at a local police delegation or through the Policía Nacional's online reporting service. The victim or another person can report, including a digital offence. The Ministerio Público also provides an online reporting channel. Give truthful information and request a signed or stamped copy, a constancia or a case number. No verified nationwide deadline or general fee for making a report was found. A 2023 INIDE yearbook recorded 157,983 registered reports and 132,899 resolved cases, with an 84.1 percent police effectiveness figure. It also recorded 110 cases classified as asesinato, 260 as homicidio, 15 femicide cases and 2,580 offences against sexual freedom and integrity, including 1,254 sexual abuse cases, 708 rapes of children under 14 and 362 rape cases. These are administrative and police records, not a complete measure of victimization or unreported crime. A Policía Nacional weekly report for August 31 to September 6, 2026 recorded 81 arrests for delitos de peligrosidad, three homicide deaths and 20 alleged drug suppliers; Managua accounted for 30 arrests, with robbery prominent, while Chinandega, Carazo and El Rama were associated with robbery involving violence. Such reports describe a period and enforcement activity rather than a national prevalence rate. Basic precautions include avoiding solitary walking after dark, using public transport at night and travelling on remote roads after dark. Keep vehicle doors and windows locked, use only official taxis with red plates or a verified radio dispatch, and use ATMs during daylight inside a bank, hotel or shopping centre. Do not physically resist a robbery. Keep emergency contacts available offline, use two-factor authentication, and never share a PIN, one-time password or banking details. Verify suspicious links and calls through a separate trusted channel. Comisarías de la Mujer, Niñez y Adolescencia are specialized police units for gender-based violence and cases involving women or children. The Ministerio de la Familia, Adolescencia y Niñez, known as MIFAM, provides free guidance and accompaniment through line 133. The Ministerio Público's victim services can coordinate legal guidance, psychosocial or psychological support, social work, risk assessment and court accompaniment, although access differs by department and region. In cases involving children or sexual violence, relevant services can also include MINSA, the Instituto de Medicina Legal, the Defensoría Pública, the Ministerio Público and the courts. The MIFAM guidance states that state services for sexual violence are free. Save messages, photographs, medical records and other evidence without altering them, involve a trusted adult or school when a child is affected, and avoid private confrontation. Digital crime is addressed under Ley 1042, the Ley Especial de Ciberdelitos. Reported categories include unauthorized access, computer fraud, theft using computer systems, computer identity theft or appropriation, misuse or disclosure of personal data and unauthorized distribution of images or data. Preserve screenshots, URLs, message histories, email headers, account details, transaction records and timestamps. Do not delete or reset the device before relevant evidence has been preserved. Nicaragua did not have a separately verified national cyber-emergency hotline in the reviewed information. The Policía Nacional's 118 line and online reporting service remain the stated reporting options for an acute or digital incident.