President Joe Biden's administration has stepped up economic pressure on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government, taking a series of steps against the country's gold mining industry and other sectors, Reuters reports.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions against Nicaragua's gold mining industry and the head of Nicaragua's mining department has been blacklisted along with another senior government official.

The sanctions could also be used to block new U.S. investment in certain areas in Nicaragua, imports of certain Nicaraguan goods, or exports of certain goods to Nicaragua.

The Ortega-Murillo regime's ongoing attacks on democratic actors and civil society, as well as the unjust detention of political prisoners, demonstrate that the regime believes it is not bound by the rule of law, said U.S. Department of the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.