Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has announced that the country will no longer hold elections, stating there will be no future opportunity for opposition groups to contest power after his current term ends in 2027.
Speaking during commemorations of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, Ortega said the decision would prevent opposition parties from returning to government. He did not outline how the policy would be implemented.
“There won’t be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power,” Ortega said in a speech on Sunday evening to commemorate the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which Ortega helped overthrow the US-backed Anastasio Somoza dictatorship.
“The days when parties backed by the Yankees (United States) and the Somocistas would return to power are over – never again,” he added, in the 80-year-old’s first public appearance in two months.
Key developments:
- Ortega has remained in power continuously since 2007 following an earlier presidency in the 1980s.
- Constitutional reforms in 2025 named Rosario Murillo as co-president and extended presidential terms to six years.
- The UN Human Rights Council has previously accused the government of authoritarian rule and systematic human rights violations.
Critics and exiled opposition figures said the announcement further consolidates executive authority, while the government maintains it is protecting national sovereignty and stability.
ℹ️ Reuters
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