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 Nicaragua |  Spain |
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Nicaragua–Spain relations are the diplomatic relations betweenNicaragua andSpain. Both nations are members of theAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language and theOrganization of Ibero-American States.
In September 1502, explorerChristopher Columbus arrived to eastern Nicaragua on his fourth voyage to the Americas. In 1522, Spanish conquistadorGil González Dávila arrived to Nicaragua and claimed the territory for Spain. Gil González Dávila named the territory after a chief namedNicarao and combined the name for the Spanish word for water (Agua).[1] In 1524, Spanish conquistadorFrancisco Hernández de Córdoba founded the first Spanish settlements ofGranada andLeón.[2]
As a result of the Spanish invasion, the native population drastically fell. Within three decades an estimated native population of one million plummeted to a few tens of thousands, as approximately half of the natives died of contagious diseases originally fromEurope, and most of the rest were made to work in forced labor in other New World Spanish colonies.[2]
The territory of Nicaragua soon officially became part of theSpanish Empire under theViceroy of New Spain based inMexico City and administered by theCaptaincy General of Guatemala based inSantiago de Guatemala. For most of Spanish colonization, the territory was mostly neglected. In 1740,Great Britain took over theMosquito Coast of Nicaragua and held it until 1786.[2]
In 1808,Joseph Bonaparte was installed as King of Spain and severalSpanish American colonies began to declare their independence from Spain. As Nicaragua and mostCentral American nations were governed by Mexico City; New Spain declared its independence from Spain in 1810. In 1821, thePlan of Iguala declared Mexico as a constitutional monarchy. Nicaragua declared its own independence from Spain on 15 September 1821 and chose to join theMexican Empire under EmperorAgustín de Iturbide.[1]
In March 1823, Iturbide resigned as Emperor and Mexico became a republic. Nicaragua decided to separate from Mexico on 1 July 1823. Nicaragua, along withCosta Rica,El Salvador,Guatemala andHonduras formed theFederal Republic of Central America. In 1839 the Central American Federation dissolved and Nicaragua became an independent nation.[2]
On 20 March 1851, Nicaragua and Spain officially established diplomatic relations and signed aTreaty of Peace and Friendship.[3] During theSpanish Civil War, Nicaragua officially recognized the government ofFrancisco Franco.[4]
During theNicaraguan Revolution (1961-1990), Spain maintained diplomatic relations with theJunta of National Reconstruction which was led byDaniel Ortega. As a condition of relations, Nicaragua promised that theBasque separatist group,ETA, would not be allowed to operate on Nicaraguan soil even though they openly supported theSandinistas.[5]
In April 1991, KingJuan Carlos I of Spain paid his first and only visit to Nicaragua to celebrate the end of theNicaraguan Revolution. During his visit, he met with Nicaraguan PresidentVioleta Chamorro.[6]
In February 2023, the Spanish government extended an offer to grantSpanish citizenship to anyNicaraguan citizen that may be declaredstateless by the Ortega government, building upon an initial proposal extended to 222 specific Nicaraguan individuals expelled to the United States earlier in the month.[7]
Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Dual-Nationality (1961); Agreement on Technical Cooperation (1975); Extradition Treaty (1977); Agreement on Cultural, Educational and Scientific Cooperation (1991); Agreement on Air Transportation (1992); Agreement on the reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments (1994) and an Agreement on homologation and exchange of Driving Licenses (2012).[8]
In 2017, trade between Nicaragua and Spain totaled €71.5 million Euros.[8] Nicaragua's main exports to Spain include: fish, crustaceans and mussels. Spain's main exports to Nicaragua include: machinery, pharmaceuticals, electronic equipment, clothing and food.[8] Spanish multinational companies such asMapfre andZara operate in Nicaragua.
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