the legitimacy of the election. . (11) In November and December of 2016, the Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank postponed consideration of a policy-based loan of $65,000,000 to the Government of Nicaragua due to the serious concerns of the United States mission with the absence of transparency, systemic corruption, and the lack of free and fair elections in Nicaragua. (12) According to the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 in Nicaragua: actions by the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) party resulted in de facto concentration of power in a single party, with an authoritarian executive branch exercising significant control over the legislative, judicial, and electoral functions. . (13) According to the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 in Nicaragua: The November 6 elections for president, vice president, national assembly members, and representatives for the Central American parliament did not meet the conditions of being free and fair … The November 6 presidential and legislative elections were marred by allegations of institutional fraud and the absence of independent opposition political parties. National observers and opposition leaders claimed rates of abstention from 60 to 70 percent. . (14) According to the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 in Nicaragua: Companies reported that bribery of public officials, unlawful seizures, and arbitrary assessments by customs and tax authorities were common … The courts remained particularly susceptible to bribes, manipulation, and other forms of corruption, especially by the FSLN, giving the sense that the FSLN heavily influenced CSJ and lower-level court actions. . (15) On December 21, 2017, the Department of the Treasury issued a press release announcing the designation of, and sanctions against, human rights abusers and corrupt actors, including Roberto Rivas, the President of Nicaragua’s Supreme