Practice Expertise
- Business Law
- Banking & Finance
- Agribusiness
Areas of Practice
- Agribusiness
- Banking & Finance
- Business Law
- Business Law
- Mining View More
Profile
Ernesto Rizo is a founding partner of BLP in Nicaragua. With more than 20 years of legal experience, he specializes in the practice areas of Business Law, Banking & Finance, and Mining and Agribusiness. His background includes advising local and foreign companies on complex transactions, from mergers and acquisitions to structured financings. He has provided comprehensive advice on agroindustrial, mining, and financial issues, standing out for his deep knowledge of the local and international legal framework. Recognized by prestigious legal publications Chambers & Partners, IFLR 1000, and Latin Lawyer, he joined BLP in 2014 after having worked at the Central Bank of Nicaragua and as a legal advisor at the country’s stock exchange, contributing to the preparation of important financial laws.
Education
LL.M in Banking and Financial Regulation, Fulbright Scholar, Georgetown University, 2002.
Law degree, Universidad Pontificia Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, 1998.
Areas of Practice
- Agribusiness
- Banking & Finance
- Business Law
- Business Law
- Mining
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
Moody’s entry into Central America. BLP leads advice to Moody’s in the acquisition of SC Riesgo’s operations in Central America, involving all aspects related to the transaction.
Grupo Unicomer on a syndicated loan for US$350 million. BLP advised on a $350 million loan transaction granted to Grupo Unicomer by a pool of syndicated banks, in which several subsidiaries of Unicomer in LATAM and the Caribbean have acted as guarantors. Our legal guidance spanned the entire process, from negotiations to signing the credit agreement, and included the preparation and execution of creative local documentation, such as acknowledgments, security trusts, and promissory notes.
BLP assisted Renewable Resources Group in performing due diligence for its affiliates and the subsequent preparation, negotiation, and signing of the SPA to purchase Mercon Ventures. The group has operations in the commercialization of coffee in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Vietnam, all of which were subject to BLP’s due diligence.
CABEI in project financing in Nicaragua. BLP advised CABEI in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing the facility agreement and comment between CABEI, United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), and the Republic of Nicaragua. UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency. BLP advised CABEI on this agreement through which UKEF will provide the Republic of Nicaragua with a loan of up to $95,000,000 million.
BLP advised Arturo Fuente in the negotiation of a construction contract for the amount of USD 10 MM for the new tobacco processing plant that the client is developing in Nicaragua.
BLP has advised Millicom on the purchase of Telefónica’s assets. The telecommunications giant, Millicom – which operates under the Tigo trademark in Central America – has acquired all of Telefónica’s subsidiaries in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama.
BLP advised Joya de Nicaragua a premium tobacco manufacturer. BLP played a key role in the transfer of JDN’s brand portfolio spanning Latin America, North America, Europe and Asia. BLP provide comprehensive and strategic legal advice to facilitate this complex and global process over more than a year. BLP’s role in this operation is to ensure that this process is legally sound, efficient and that intellectual property rights are adequately maintained and protected in all jurisdictions involved. This involves a combination of legal analysis, strategy, negotiation and regulatory compliance in an international context.
Calibre Mining acquires B2Gold’s mining operations in Nicaragua. The Canadian mining company Calibre Mining bought the El Limón and La Libertad gold mine, located in Nicaragua, and part of its compatriot and competitor B2Gold. The closing of the operation will be recorded for an amount of $100 million in cash, common shares, and convertible debentures.
First acquisition of Jefferson Capital to enter the Central American territory and expand its presence in Latin America. BLP advised Jefferson in Central America, including due diligence in antitrust matters and negotiation of deal agreements.
Professional Associations
Moody’s entry into Central America. BLP leads advice to Moody’s in the acquisition of SC Riesgo’s operations in Central America, involving all aspects related to the transaction.
Grupo Unicomer on a syndicated loan for US$350 million. BLP advised on a $350 million loan transaction granted to Grupo Unicomer by a pool of syndicated banks, in which several subsidiaries of Unicomer in LATAM and the Caribbean have acted as guarantors. Our legal guidance spanned the entire process, from negotiations to signing the credit agreement, and included the preparation and execution of creative local documentation, such as acknowledgments, security trusts, and promissory notes.
BLP assisted Renewable Resources Group in performing due diligence for its affiliates and the subsequent preparation, negotiation, and signing of the SPA to purchase Mercon Ventures. The group has operations in the commercialization of coffee in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Vietnam, all of which were subject to BLP’s due diligence.
CABEI in project financing in Nicaragua. BLP advised CABEI in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing the facility agreement and comment between CABEI, United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), and the Republic of Nicaragua. UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency. BLP advised CABEI on this agreement through which UKEF will provide the Republic of Nicaragua with a loan of up to $95,000,000 million.
BLP advised Arturo Fuente in the negotiation of a construction contract for the amount of USD 10 MM for the new tobacco processing plant that the client is developing in Nicaragua.
BLP has advised Millicom on the purchase of Telefónica’s assets. The telecommunications giant, Millicom – which operates under the Tigo trademark in Central America – has acquired all of Telefónica’s subsidiaries in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama.
BLP advised Joya de Nicaragua a premium tobacco manufacturer. BLP played a key role in the transfer of JDN’s brand portfolio spanning Latin America, North America, Europe and Asia. BLP provide comprehensive and strategic legal advice to facilitate this complex and global process over more than a year. BLP’s role in this operation is to ensure that this process is legally sound, efficient and that intellectual property rights are adequately maintained and protected in all jurisdictions involved. This involves a combination of legal analysis, strategy, negotiation and regulatory compliance in an international context.
Calibre Mining acquires B2Gold’s mining operations in Nicaragua. The Canadian mining company Calibre Mining bought the El Limón and La Libertad gold mine, located in Nicaragua, and part of its compatriot and competitor B2Gold. The closing of the operation will be recorded for an amount of $100 million in cash, common shares, and convertible debentures.
First acquisition of Jefferson Capital to enter the Central American territory and expand its presence in Latin America. BLP advised Jefferson in Central America, including due diligence in antitrust matters and negotiation of deal agreements.
Professional Associations
- International Bar Association (IBA): Member
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