Nicaragua and Spain maintain diplomatic relations. Both nations are members of the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language and the Organization of Ibero-American States.
History Spanish colonization
In September 1502, explorer Christopher Columbus arrived to eastern Nicaragua on his fourth voyage to the Americas. In 1522, Spanish conquistador Gil González Dávila arrived to Nicaragua and claimed the territory for Spain. Gil González Dávila named the territory after a chief named Nicarao and combined the name for the Spanish word for water (Agua).BBC: Nicaragua profile - Timeline In 1524, Spanish conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba founded the first Spanish settlements of Granada and León.Britannica: History of Nicaragua
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 from Europe, and most of the rest were made to work in forced labor in other New World Spanish colonies.
The territory of Nicaragua soon officially became part of the Spanish Empire under the Viceroy of New Spain based in Mexico City and administered by the Captaincy General of Guatemala based in Santiago de Guatemala. For most of Spanish colonization, the territory was mostly neglected. In 1740, Great Britain took over the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua and held it until 1786.
Independence
In 1808, Joseph Bonaparte was installed as King of Spain and several Spanish American colonies began to declare their independence from Spain. As Nicaragua and most Central American nations were governed by Mexico City; New Spain declared its independence from Spain in 1810. In 1821, the Plan of Iguala declared Mexico as a constitutional monarchy. Nicaragua declared its own independence from Spain on 15 September 1821 and chose to join the Mexican Empire under Emperor Agustín de Iturbide.
In March 1823, Iturbide resigned as Emperor and Mexico became a republic. Nicaragua decided to separate from Mexico on 1 July 1823. Nicaragua, along with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras formed the Federal Republic of Central America. In 1839 the Central American Federation dissolved and Nicaragua became an independent nation.
Post-Independence On 20 March 1851, Nicaragua and Spain officially established diplomatic relations and signed a Treaty of Peace and Friendship. During the Spanish Civil War, Nicaragua officially recognized the government of Francisco Franco.Neutralidad con matices (in Spanish)
During the Nicaraguan Revolution (1961-1990), Spain maintained diplomatic relations with the Junta of National Reconstruction which was led by Daniel Ortega. As a condition of relations, Nicaragua promised that the Basque separatist group, ETA, would not be allowed to operate on Nicaraguan soil even though they openly supported the Sandinistas.Historia de un triángulo secreto: ETA, Cesid y Nicaragua (in Spanish)
In April 1991, King Juan Carlos I of Spain paid his first and only visit to Nicaragua to celebrate the end of the Nicaraguan Revolution. During his visit, he met with Nicaraguan President Violeta Chamorro.El Rey elogia a Violeta Chamorro como símbolo de la reconciliación (in Spanish)
In February 2023, the Spanish government extended an offer to grant Spanish citizenship to any Nicaraguan citizen that may be declared stateless by the Ortega government, building upon an initial proposal extended to 222 specific Nicaraguan individuals expelled to the United States earlier in the month.
Relations were later reset with new ambassadorial appointments in 2023. In 2026, Nicaragua and Spain again ordered the expulsion of each others' ambassadors.David Latona (26 January 2026), Spain expels Nicaraguan ambassador in diplomatic tit-for-tat Reuters.
High-level visits
Presidential visits from Nicaragua to Spain[https://www.cepc.gob.es/sites/default/files/2021-12/33587rpi085181.pdf Presidente René Schick en España (in Spanish - page 13)Inesperado anuncio de la visita de Daniel Ortega a España el día 26 (in Spanish)Felipe González compromete su pleno apoyo a Nicaragua (in Spanish)Visita oficial de la presidenta de Nicaragua (in Spanish)Bolaños visita a España (in Spanish)
President René Schick (1966) President Daniel Ortega (1988, 1989) Vice President Sergio Ramírez (1988) President Violeta Chamorro (1992, 1993) President Enrique Bolaños (2004)
Royal and Prime Ministerial visits from Spain to NicaraguaLos Reyes apoyarán en su viaje a Nicaragua el proceso de reconciliación nacional (in Spanish)González inicia una gira de nueve días por El Salvador, Honduras y Nicaragua (in Spanish)Toma de Posesión del Presidente Electo de Nicaragua, Sr. Daniel Ortega (in Spanish)Príncipe Felipe de España llegó a Nicaragua para investidura de Ortega (in Spanish)Pacto de extradición, punto polémico de visita de Aznar
King Juan Carlos I (1991) Prime Minister Felipe González (1995) Prime Minister José María Aznar (1997) Crowned Prince Felipe (2007, 2012)
Agreements 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).Bilateral relations between Spain and Nicaragua (in Spanish)
Trade In 2024, trade between Nicaragua and Spain totaled €119 million Euros. 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. Spanish multinational companies such as Mapfre and Zara operate in Nicaragua.
Resident diplomatic missions
of Nicaragua in Spain Madrid (Embassy)
of Spain in Nicaragua Managua (Embassy)Embassy of Spain in Nicaragua
See also Foreign relations of Nicaragua Foreign relations of Spain
References