AI regulation in Nicaragua (2026)

Nicaragua has not enacted any AI-specific legislation, and no binding sector-specific AI rules (finance, health, education) exist; regional surveys place it among Central American countries with no AI normative material.

In March 2026 the Sandinista government launched three 'cartillas' for the responsible and ethical use of AI aimed at students, teachers, and parents, under the 'Bendiciones y Victorias' 2024–2026 education strategy; they cover legal bases, risks, privacy, and critical thinking but are non-binding guidance, not law.

There is no dedicated, formally adopted national AI strategy; the cartillas sit within a broader education strategy rather than a standalone AI governance framework, and analyses note Nicaragua lacks formal regulatory guidance on AI deployment.

Absent AI-specific rules, the most relevant frameworks are Ley 787 (Personal Data Protection, 2012, with Decree 36-2012) and Ley 1042 (Special Cybercrimes Law), which govern data and digital conduct but were not designed for AI.

Nicaraguan lawmakers expressed interest in AI regulation via a 2023 ParlAmericas exchange and a proposed task force on digital rights, but no AI bill has been formally introduced or advanced in the National Assembly as of 2026.

State media report initiatives to expand AI use to strengthen public-servant management and digital culture, indicating an adoption-and-guidance posture rather than a regulatory/restrictive one.