MANAGUA — Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said the country will no longer hold elections, declaring that future electoral contests would not be allowed because they could enable opposition groups to return to power, marking the clearest public statement yet that his government intends to end electoral competition.
Ortega made the announcement during a speech marking the anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, saying there would be "never again" be elections in Nicaragua. He accused opponents of seeking power with backing from the United States and said his administration would prevent them from governing again.
The president did not outline the legal mechanism for implementing the move, but his government already controls the National Assembly, which has approved constitutional and institutional changes that have expanded executive authority in recent years. Earlier reforms extended the presidential term to six years and elevated Rosario Murillo, Ortega's wife, to the position of co-president.
Ortega, 80, has governed Nicaragua continuously since 2007 after previously serving as president during the 1980s. His administration has faced years of international criticism over its treatment of political opponents, civil society organizations and independent media, particularly following the government's response to anti-government protests in 2018. The United Nations and several Western governments have accused the administration of widespread human rights violations, allegations the government has rejected.
Opposition figures, many of whom are in exile or have been detained in recent years, said Ortega's declaration formalized what they described as the dismantling of Nicaragua's remaining democratic institutions. Rights organizations also criticized the announcement, saying it represented another step toward one-party rule.
Nicaragua's 2021 presidential election was widely criticized by foreign governments and international observers after leading opposition contenders were arrested or barred from participating before the vote. Ortega secured another term in that election, while his government dismissed accusations that the process lacked legitimacy and said it was defending national sovereignty against foreign interference.
No official announcement was made regarding any immediate legislative timetable following Ortega's remarks. However, the declaration signaled that the government intends to continue consolidating the political system under the existing leadership as Ortega's current term runs through 2027.
