El 19 is a media outlet affiliated with the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Nicaragua’s ruling party led by President Daniel Ortega. Originally launched as a print newspaper in August 2008, El 19 published only a few print issues before ceasing publication in November 2008. It was subsequently relaunched as a television program on Canal 8 (TeleNica)—a channel controlled by the government—and later as a full-fledged digital news portal, now known as El 19 Digital. As of 2025, El 19 Digital operates as a key pro-government online media platform, regularly publishing news that amplifies the Ortega-Murillo administration’s messaging while attacking or discrediting opposition figures and independent voices.
Media assets
Digital portal: El 19 Digital
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
According to local journalists in Managua interviewed for this report in May 2024 and January 2025, El 19 Digital is managed by media operatives closely tied to the Ortega-Murillo family and functions as an integrated part of the FSLN’s broader communications network.
While it is not formally owned by the government, its editorial operations are politically directed by FSLN-affiliated actors. The platform is frequently used to republish government statements, presidential speeches, and party-driven narratives without any independent reporting or journalistic scrutiny.
Source of funding and budget
There is no publicly disclosed information on the funding of El 19 Digital. However, its operations are widely understood to be sustained by state advertising, public institutional support, and indirect subsidies. As of 2025, there are no independent audits or budget reports available for the outlet, reflecting the broader lack of financial transparency in Nicaragua’s state-aligned media sector.
Editorial independence
El 19 Digital functions as a partisan mouthpiece for the FSLN. It consistently promotes the activities of President Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, highlights government initiatives in a favorable light, and portrays the opposition as destabilizing or foreign-influenced. There is no space for critical journalism or dissenting opinions.
May 2025