cremation

Yes, in general it is a "cultural thing" as said before, mostly created by the Catholic Church. I am a nicaraguan born and raised in Leon, but, I've lived 20 plus years in the US.

I am not religious, and definetely, don't follow any churches, as they are simply human made institutions. I am planning returning (retire) to Nicaragua and, concluded that cremation is the most efficient way of disposing of our bodies. However, I would have same problem in Leon, where there is no cremation, either. Good to know that at least Managua has it.

It is a "cultural thing" by way of, or at least reinforced by Catholic teachings (though that is not to say the average Latin American, who probably does not look favorably on the idea of cremation for self or family, would use some papal document as their defense, etc.). Cremation would have been extremely rare in Catholic countries before 1963, yet still rare after that (the rules were rephrased by the, now, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith). To this day Church Canon Law, revised 25 years ago, still explicitly prefers burial to cremation, though it no longer forbids cremation. Not that long ago the U.S. Bishops’ on the Liturgy, offered a pamphlet for Catholics, "Reflections on the Body, Cremation and Funeral Rites". For a Catholic, or at least in Catholic teaching, there is usually great significance attached to "the body" (it is washed in baptism..., anointed for salvation..., there is the death of the..., resurrection of the..., etc.). Or, so it is said. The original Catholic ban on cremation might have been equally traced to the fact that many non-Catholics chose to be cremated and not buried as a religious statement - as a final rejection of Catholicism, etc. It might be a related matter that Hispanics (in and out of Central America) are often not at all well represented, statistically, as organ donors.

Monte De Los Olivos en Managua has a crematorium, and it is cheaper than burial. They are near La Union on the four lane going toward the Japanese Park. They are on the right just across the side street from the shell station. Yes, I think it is cultural.