Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has declared that the country will not hold elections in the future, effectively ending hopes of a democratic vote and reinforcing his grip on power after nearly two decades in office.Speaking during celebrations marking the anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution on Sunday, Ortega said, “There won’t be any more elections,” while accusing the United States of backing political parties opposed to his government. “Never, never, never,” he added when referring to future elections.The announcement effectively cancels Nicaragua’s next presidential election, which had been expected in November 2027 after the government-controlled Congress extended the presidential term by one year in 2025.Power consolidated since return to officeOrtega first came to power after the 1979 Sandinista Revolution and returned as president in 2007. Since then, he has rewritten the Constitution, expanded executive powers and tightened control over key state institutions, including the judiciary and electoral authorities.His government has faced widespread international criticism since a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2018 that left hundreds dead. In the 2021 presidential election, Ortega secured another term after the arrest of leading opposition candidates, prompting several countries, including the United States, to reject the legitimacy of the vote.Opposition says move confirms one-party ruleOpposition leaders and human rights organisations described Ortega’s latest announcement as a formal abandonment of democratic processes.The U.N. Human Rights Council also 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 in which more than 300 people were killed.
