Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega has stated that elections will no longer be held in the country. According to him, this decision will eliminate the possibility of the opposition coming to power after his presidential term ends next year. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Ortega announced his decision during a speech marking the anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista Revolution, which overthrew the regime of Anastasio Somoza.
"There will be no more elections here, so they can try to seize power and government," Ortega said.
He also emphasized that he would not allow the return to power of political forces he considers aligned with the United States.
"The days when parties supported by the Yankees (USA) and Somozistas returned to power are over — never again," the president said.
However, the head of state did not specify how the cancellation of elections would be implemented.
Daniel Ortega has continuously governed Nicaragua since 2007. He previously served as president from 1985 to 1990.
In 2024, the authorities adopted constitutional amendments that further strengthened the position of the head of state. In particular, Ortega's wife Rosario Murillo was officially appointed co-president, and the presidential term was extended to six years. The couple effectively controls key state institutions, including the armed forces and the judiciary.
The last presidential elections in Nicaragua were held in 2021. They drew sharp criticism from the international community after authorities arrested Ortega's potential rivals, business representatives, and intensified persecution of political opponents.
The UN Human Rights Council previously accused Nicaraguan authorities of turning the country into an authoritarian state and systematically violating human rights. In 2018, during the crackdown on anti-government protests, more than 300 people died, according to international organizations.
Political analysts believe that the cancellation of elections indicates a desire to completely eliminate any political competition.
"Ortega and Murillo are obviously afraid that the slightest political opportunity could create conditions for dissent and threaten their power," said Tiziano Breda, senior analyst at Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED).
According to him, instead of rigging elections, the authorities preferred to completely abandon electoral competition.
Former Nicaraguan presidential candidate Felix Maradiaga, who is now in the United States after imprisonment and deportation, also sees Ortega's statement as evidence of the authorities' fears.
"Ortega publicly acknowledged what has always been his true intention: not to allow his tyrannical project to be subjected to any form of democratic competition," Maradiaga told Reuters.