Nicaragua Pressure Mounts as Paraguay, Costa Rica Back U.S. OAS Initiative

Nicaragua faces mounting international pressure as Paraguay formally co-sponsors a U.S. initiative at the Organization of American States (OAS). Costa Rica also signaled its intent to join the U.S. effort, which condemns President Daniel Ortega's declaration that he will never hold elections again.

The U.S. proposal includes a draft resolution asserting that Nicaragua's situation "destabilizes and threatens the peace and stability" of the hemisphere. However, its fate depends on Washington's ability to garner support from other member states before a special session of the Permanent Council on August 5, 2026.

Guillermo Belt, a former advisor to the OAS Secretary General, emphasized the critical role of U.S. diplomatic engagement. "A lot depends on the effort the United States puts into it," Belt told CONFIDENCIAL, suggesting that high-level diplomacy, potentially involving figures like Michael Kozat, is essential, though such efforts remain largely unseen.

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Much depends on the effort the United States puts into it... The United States has to do the diplomatic management at a good level. For me, a good level is Michael Kozat or higher. No less. And that diplomatic management is invisible, neither you nor I will see it.

Kozat, known for his firm stance against the regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, has identified these nations as critical security threats to the U.S. in the region. In a July 14, 2026, Senate hearing, he described Nicaragua as suffering under a "brutal and kleptocratic dictatorial dynasty" that represses civil society and the Catholic Church.

The OAS session on August 5 will determine whether to convene an "immediate" meeting of foreign ministers to discuss Nicaragua and deliberate on appropriate collective measures. Belt noted that such a meeting, historically used for urgent issues, carries significant political weight. While acknowledging its past use against the Somoza regime, he deemed a similar outcome unlikely in the current context.

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Nicaragua suffers under a brutal and kleptocratic dictatorial dynasty that represses all facets of the Catholic Church, as well as its ordinary citizens, and harbors U.S. security adversaries.