Ortega Bars 'Terrorists and Coup Plotters' from Nicaragua Elections, Plans Constitutional Reform

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declared Friday that individuals he labels as "terrorists and coup plotters" will be excluded from participating in future elections. Ortega, who has previously stripped opposition figures and government critics of their nationality, stated that constitutional reforms are being prepared in coordination with the National Assembly to enforce this exclusion.

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We have to fight to strengthen peace and strengthen it with laws, with these reforms (we seek) that they do not give space to terrorists, to coup plotters, where they can organize wars again like those they organized in 1856.

During an official event in Managua, the Sandinista leader asserted that these reforms aim to "strengthen peace" by preventing those deemed "terrorists and coup plotters" from organizing further conflict. He referenced historical instances, including the mid-19th century conflict that allowed U.S. filibuster William Walker to briefly seize control of Nicaragua.

Ortega's remarks this time offered a slight nuance compared to his July 19 statement, where he proclaimed that "there will be no more elections for them (the opposition) to try to trap the government, trap power." He clarified that the constitutional amendments are intended to ensure elections are held with "sovereignty" and are not reminiscent of past U.S. interventions.

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We are working on constitutional reforms so that elections can be held in Nicaragua with sovereignty and not like in the era of North American invasions in Nicaragua.

The president insisted that the reforms are designed to "strengthen peace," not impose it through states of siege or force. He emphasized that these legal measures will ensure no space remains for opposition figures, whom he has also branded as traitors, to launch "criminal wars" against Nicaragua. Ortega explicitly stated that the U.S. government should be clear that Nicaragua desires peace, not war.

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Here it is not about imposing peace with states of siege, at gunpoint, it is about maintaining peace reinforced by laws.

In parallel, the Organization of American States (OAS) announced it is studying the possibility of convening a meeting of regional foreign ministers to assess the situation in Nicaragua. This follows Ortega's announcement regarding the exclusion of opposition figures from elections. The OAS Permanent Council is scheduled to hold an extraordinary session on August 5 to debate a resolution on the matter. Nicaragua formally withdrew from the OAS in 2023.

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Here there is no room for them to launch their criminal wars, as they have launched against Nicaragua and the North American government should be clear about this: that Nicaragua does not want war, it wants peace.