Exiles ask UN to stop Ortega's plan to abolish elections in Nicaragua

Nicaraguan activists in exile are calling on the United Nations to intervene and stop President Daniel Ortega's initiative to effectively abolish elections in the country. The Colectivo de Derechos Humanos para la Memoria Histórica de Nicaragua, based in Costa Rica, issued an open letter urging democratic nations to act before Ortega's plan is formalized.

Ortega, who has been in power since 2007, recently declared at a rally that "elections will not be held here again for them (the opposition) to try to seize the government, seize power." The exiled group warned that if the regime solidifies this move, democratic states should fully reject its legitimacy, reassess diplomatic ties, and deny recognition to any authorities arising from this "undemocratic new order."

The NGO implored democratic states to publicly and unequivocally condemn Ortega's announcement and the support it received from the ruling party-dominated National Assembly. They also demanded the rejection of any reforms aimed at eliminating elections or ensuring the indefinite rule of the Ortega-Murillo family, along with the repeal of repressive laws.

The collective cautioned that Nicaragua faces a "dictatorial decision in the process of materialization," where a single family seeks to control governance, duration, and succession, potentially leading to a dynastic transfer of power. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has already criticized Ortega's anti-election remarks, urging Nicaraguan authorities to reopen civic space and restore the rule of law.