Nicaragua Government to Present Electoral Reform Proposal to Diplomats

Nicaragua's government announced it will present its proposed electoral reform to the diplomatic corps, business leaders, and investors next week. This move comes after widespread international concern and rejection of President Daniel Ortega's recent remarks suggesting that elections would cease to occur in the country. Vice President Rosario Murillo stated that these meetings are intended to foster "friendship and brotherhood between peoples."

“

We are holding meetings we have called of friendship, of brotherhood between peoples, meetings that strengthen us as a nation.

Murillo indicated that the consultations with ambassadors and the diplomatic community will proceed "as appropriate: we listen, we listen to them." The government asserts that the Legislative Assembly, under the presidency's coordination, is advancing a reform proposal designed to "guarantee free, democratic, sovereign, and dignified electoral processes." Murillo framed these processes as essential for ensuring "continuity of progress, achievements against poverty, security, stability, and for that are our electoral processes, to guarantee the continuity of all these triumphs."

President Ortega's controversial statement, made during the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, declared that Nicaragua "will not have elections again" to prevent the opposition from seizing power. This declaration has drawn sharp criticism and concern from various international bodies and nations, including Costa Rica, the United States, Panama, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, the OAS Secretary General, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“

What do we want? Continuity of progress, achievements against poverty, security, stability, and for that are our electoral processes, to guarantee the continuity of all these triumphs. That is what we are going to guarantee with our sovereign and dignified electoral processes.

Despite the international backlash, Nicaraguan National Assembly president Gustavo Porras stated that elections will indeed take place, but under a new constitutional framework intended to shield them from foreign interference and "traitors to the homeland." This proposed reform aims to address concerns about electoral integrity while navigating the country's complex political landscape and international scrutiny.

“

We will not have elections again so that they (the opposition) try to seize the government, seize power through them.