US warns Nicaragua against eliminating elections

The United States issued a stern warning to Nicaragua, vowing not to "stand idly by" following President Daniel Ortega's announcement that the country will cease holding elections. This move intensifies concerns about Nicaragua's slide toward a single-party state.

Ortega, who has been in power for nearly two decades, made the declaration on Sunday. His announcement dashed the hopes of opposition groups in exile who had been anticipating U.S. and international pressure to foster a democratic transition or free elections. The Nicaraguan National Assembly confirmed on Tuesday that it has initiated an "analysis" of reforms to align with the "presidential directives."

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President Donald Trump and the international community will not stand idly by while the dictatorship deepens repression and manufactures instability that threatens the national security of the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on social media platform X that "President Donald Trump and the international community will not stand idly by while the dictatorship... deepens repression and manufactures instability that threatens the national security" of the United States. He added, "Abolishing elections demonstrates their cowardice and fear of the will of the Nicaraguan people."

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Abolishing elections demonstrates their cowardice and fear of the will of the Nicaraguan people.

Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, govern with absolute authority. They dismantled internal opposition following the massive 2018 protests, which resulted in approximately 300 deaths. The government characterizes these protests as a U.S.-backed coup attempt. Washington maintains sanctions against the Nicaraguan government, including visa restrictions for over 2,350 officials and their families, though it has avoided measures as severe as those imposed on Cuba.

Following a constitutional reform in late 2024 that extended the presidential term from five to six years and elevated Murillo to the position of co-president, Nicaragua was scheduled to hold general elections in 2027. However, Ortega, 80, declared on Sunday during the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution that "elections will no longer be held in Nicaragua" where "parties appointed by the Yankees (United States)" could gain power. The announcement also drew criticism from OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin, who asserted that "the regime has abandoned democracy," and from the government of Costa Rica, which recalled its ambassador from Managua for consultations.

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the regime has abandoned democracy