Nicaragua’s president Daniel Ortega has announced that there will be no more elections in the country, effectively closing any path for the opposition to gain power. The statement was made during a speech marking the anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which Ortega helped overthrow a U.S.-backed right-wing dictatorship.
Ortega, who has been in power continuously since 2007, declared that the move would prevent opposition parties from ever returning to government. – There will be no more elections here in which they (opposition politicians) could try to take power – he said. The last elections in Nicaragua were held in 2021 and were widely criticized as neither free nor fair after Ortega jailed opponents and criminalized dissent.
Consolidation of authoritarian rule
During his speech, Ortega also rejected any possibility of U.S.-influenced parties regaining control. – The days when parties supported by the Yankees (the United States) would return to power are over and will never come back – he added. The Trump administration had previously labeled Ortega’s government a dictatorship and imposed sanctions on more than 2,350 Nicaraguan officials, including members of the security forces and judiciary.
In recent years, Ortega has tightened his grip on the country through a series of constitutional reforms. One change appointed his wife, Rosario Murillo, as co-president. Another extended the presidential term from five to six years. According to Reuters, Ortega and Murillo now control virtually every aspect of the state, including the military, police, and courts.
International condemnation and crackdown
The United Nations Human Rights Council has accused Ortega of turning Nicaragua into an authoritarian state and systematically violating human rights. In 2018, widespread anti-government protests demanding his resignation were met with brutal repression, resulting in more than 300 deaths. Since then, Ortega has arrested dozens of political opponents, journalists, and civil society leaders.
The U.S. State Department has not yet responded to Ortega’s latest declaration. However, the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration remain in effect. Observers note that the announcement effectively ends any pretense of democracy in Nicaragua, solidifying Ortega’s rule for the foreseeable future. With no elections on the horizon, the opposition faces a complete shutdown of legal avenues to power.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Reuters
