Nicaragua’s Ortega says ‘never again’ for elections after two decades in power

Key Points:

• Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega announced that the country will no longer hold elections, effectively eliminating any chance of an electoral challenge to his rule when his term ends next year.
• Ortega, in power since 2007 and alongside his wife Rosario Murillo as co-president, stated this move aims to prevent opposition parties from trying to seize power, though he did not detail how the ban would be implemented.
• The announcement follows a history of political repression, including the detention of opponents, criminalization of dissent, and constitutional reforms that extended presidential terms and consolidated power within Ortega’s family.
• International bodies like the UN Human Rights Council have condemned Ortega’s government for authoritarianism and human rights violations, including a deadly crackdown on protests in 2018.
• Opposition figures and analysts interpret Ortega’s declaration as a sign of fear of political competition, highlighting Nicaragua’s transformation into a family-run dictatorship with no viable opposition.