Exile Community Opens Nicaragua Memory Museum in San José to Preserve 2018 Protest Testimonies
The Nicaragua Never Again Collective opens a new museum in San José to preserve testimonies and evidence of state violence following the 2018 uprising.
By: AXL Media
Published: Apr 27, 2026, 8:11 AM EDT
Source: The Tico Times
The Inauguration of a Living Archive
A new historical landmark titled "Lo que no debemos olvidar" (What Should Not Be Forgotten) has officially opened its doors in San José, Costa Rica. Established by the Nicaragua Never Again Collective, the museum serves as a public repository for the stories of victims and exiles who fled the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. The opening on April 20, 2026, was intentionally timed to coincide with the anniversary of the 2018 uprising, providing a stark counter-narrative to official accounts released by the administration in Managua.
Documenting the 2018 Crackdown and Its Aftermath
The museum provides an exhaustive account of the social and political explosion that began in April 2018. Visitors are guided through four distinct thematic areas that detail the initial protests, the subsequent impact on the civilian population, the specific phases of state-led repression, and a proposed framework for future justice. Central to the exhibit is a dedicated memorial wall featuring the names and faces of those killed, emphasizing the human cost of a crisis that the Inter American Commission on Human Rights reports claimed at least 355 lives.
Preserving Evidence Amidst Transnational Surveillance
Beyond its role as a memorial, the space functions as a forensic archive of state violence. The exhibit includes audio recordings, video footage, and personal objects belonging to victims, alongside documents tracing the institutional chain of command involved in judicial persecution and arbitrary arrests. This initiative comes at a critical time, as United Nations human rights experts warned in March 2026 that the Nicaraguan government has expanded its reach through a transnational surveillance network designed to target dissidents and exiles even outside of national borders.