Nicaragua's long-serving president, Daniel Ortega, has declared that the country will no longer hold elections, in a move to prevent the opposition from ever coming to power. The 80-year-old leader, who has been in office since 2007, made the announcement during a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, his first public appearance in two months.
Ortega vows to 'build a wall' against opposition
Speaking to supporters, Ortega stated, “There won't be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power.” He added that the days when parties backed by the United States and the Somocistas could return to power were over, saying “never again.” Ortega also pledged to work with the congress he controls to pass new laws that would “build a wall” against the opposition.
The Trump administration has labeled Ortega's government a dictatorship and imposed sanctions on more than 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their relatives. Nicaragua's last election in 2021 was widely disputed after Ortega detained opponents and business leaders and criminalized dissent.
Consolidation of power and human rights concerns
Last year, Ortega further consolidated his power through constitutional reforms that named his wife, Rosario Murillo, as “co-president” and extended the presidential term to six years. The couple now controls virtually every aspect of the government, including the armed forces and the judiciary. The UN Human Rights Council has accused Ortega and Murillo's government of transforming the country “into an authoritarian state” and systematically violating human rights.
In 2018, Ortega responded to widespread anti-government protests with a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people. Felix Maradiaga, a presidential hopeful for the opposition who was jailed in Nicaragua from 2021 to 2023 before being expelled to the US, interpreted Ortega's comments as “a confession of fear.” Maradiaga said, “Ortega publicly acknowledged what has always been his true intention: to prevent his tyrannical project from being subjected to any form of democratic competition.”
