Source: International Christian Concern, December 18, 2025
According to a report by the local media outlet CentroAmérica360, notices were posted at bus terminals in Costa Rica warning travelers that they could not bring Bibles into neighboring Nicaragua. Other prohibited items on the list included sharp objects such as knives, drones, and perishable food.
The restrictions seem to have come down from the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship ruling Nicaragua and were enacted earlier this month, according to CentroAmérica360. Other sources, however, indicated that the policy is months old and was implemented earlier this year.
Magazines and newspapers are also banned from entering the country, according to the notice. Nicaragua has lacked an independent press since 2021, when the government raided the headquarters and halted the operations of the influential La Prensa newspaper.
Before the raid, the government had used other tactics, such as preventing it from accessing paper and ink. Some members of the La Prensa team now operate in Costa Rica, where the notices banning Bibles and newspapers were posted.
The move to ban Bibles from entering the country is a concerning development. While the Nicaraguan government has been escalating its persecution of the Catholic church for years, most of that attention was focused on the church as an institution rather than on associated elements like access to scripture.
This is a good reminder that even when Scripture is available in the heart language, Bible access poses challenges. As we’ve previously reported, Bible translation is flourishing. See Wycliffe’s 2025 Impact Report or watch the related video below, also below.