Emergency numbers and help in Nicaragua

The numbers

• 911 works nationally and operators speak Spanish.
• Response outside Managua and the main towns is slow.

The call that is different here

• Find out where your nearest consulate is before you travel. There is no resident British diplomatic mission in Nicaragua and the FCDO cannot give in-person support; for many nationalities the nearest mission is in San Jose, Costa Rica.
• Save that number offline, along with your insurer's assistance line.
• This is the single most important piece of preparation for Nicaragua, and it takes five minutes before you fly.

If you are detained

• Ask for consular contact immediately and keep asking, understanding that it will be handled remotely.
• Do not sign anything you cannot read.
• If it is connected to a protest or anything political, say nothing beyond your identity until you have consular contact. The legal exposure for a foreigner here is real.

Medical

• Private hospitals want payment before treatment, usually in cash. Have the insurer's number and a cash reserve.
• Evacuation from the Corn Islands or Bluefields means a flight, and that takes time to arrange.

If a protest starts

• Leave the area. Do not film it, do not stand and watch, and do not post about it while you are still in the country.