Ortega declares end to democratic alternation in Nicaragua, rules out elections

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has explicitly declared an end to democratic alternation in the country, stating that his regime will not permit electoral processes that could jeopardize the ruling party's control. "Elections will not happen here again for them (the opposition) to try to seize the government, seize power," Ortega proclaimed during a rally commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution.

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Here (in Nicaragua) elections will not happen again for them (the opposition) to try to seize the government, seize power.

Ortega, an 80-year-old former Sandinista guerrilla who has governed Nicaragua since 2007, often alongside his wife Rosario Murillo, has faced accusations of electoral fraud and eliminating opposition. Murillo, who has served as vice president since 2017, was designated co-president in February 2025 through a constitutional reform. During the rally, Ortega accused exiled opponents of lurking and seeking to enrich themselves through power, reiterating his stance against future elections.

The regime plans to work with the National Assembly and relevant organizations to enact laws that will create a "wall" against "coup plotters" and "traitors," regardless of U.S. funding. These moves follow a profound constitutional reform in February 2025 that consolidated power under Ortega and Murillo, eliminated the balance of powers, and transformed state institutions. This reform has been heavily criticized by the UN, the OAS, the U.S., the European Parliament, and Nicaraguan opposition figures.

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But forget about it: Elections will not happen here again for them to try to seize the government, seize power.

The amendments extended the presidential term from five to six years, established the "co-president" role, and stipulated that the executive "coordinates" other state bodies, which are no longer called powers. The reform also legalized statelessness. While general elections were theoretically due in November 2026, the constitutional changes push this to November 2027. The U.S. State Department accused Murillo of creating the "co-president" position without elections or legitimacy, asserting that Ortega and Murillo deny Nicaraguans the right to vote because they fear losing. The U.S. maintains that power based on repression and constitutional manipulation does not reflect the will of the Nicaraguan people.

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the power based on repression and manipulation of the constitution is not the will of the Nicaraguan people.