Nicaragua's Ortega Says Elections Will Be Abolished
On Sunday, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declared that the nation will cease holding elections, thereby removing any potential electoral opposition when his term concludes next year. During a speech marking the 1979 Sandinista revolution, the 80-year-old stated that parties supported by the US would "never again" gain power. Ortega, who has been in power since 2007 following a previous term in the 1980s, did not specify how the election ban would be enforced. The Trump administration has denounced his regime as a dictatorship, imposing sanctions on more than 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their families. The 2021 election in Nicaragua was heavily contested after Ortega arrested rivals and criminalized dissent.
Key facts
- Daniel Ortega said Nicaragua will no longer hold elections.
- Ortega made the announcement on Sunday evening.
- The speech commemorated the 1979 Sandinista revolution.
- Ortega has held power continuously since 2007.
- He previously served as president in the 1980s.
- The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on over 2,350 Nicaraguan officials.
- Nicaragua's 2021 election was widely disputed.
- Ortega is 80 years old.
Entities
Locations
- Nicaragua
- United States