Francisco Javier Díaz Madriz is the Director General of the National Police of Nicaragua. He was appointed by president

Daniel Ortega José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (; ; born 11 November 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician and dictator who has been the president of Nicaragua, co-president of Nicaragua since 18 February 2025, alongside his wife Rosario Murillo. He was the 54th an ...

on July 5, 2018, following Aminta Granera's resignation from the position in the face of mass protests across Nicaragua and the widespread criticism of the aggressive police response that followed. The appointment became public August 23 and Díaz was officially sworn in on September 5, 2018. Díaz was sanctioned by the

U.S. State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...

on July 5, 2018—a few hours before the decree appointing Díaz Director-General—under the

Magnitsky Act The Magnitsky Act, formally known as the Russia and Moldova Jackson–Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012, is a bipartisan bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in D ...

for what the State Department called "serious human rights abuse against the people of Nicaragua" by police under his supervision during the protests. Díaz and Ortega are related through their children's marriage.

References

Nicaraguan police officers People sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act Year of birth missing (living people) Living people People from Chinandega {{Nicaragua-bio-stub