Nicaragua's Ortega abolishes elections, ending democratic pretense

Published Jul 21, 06:18 PM UTC

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced on July 19, 2026, that the country will no longer hold elections, effectively eliminating any possibility of an electoral challenge to his authoritarian rule. Speaking at the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, Ortega declared that elections would never again allow the opposition to seize power. He promised to work with the National Assembly to create laws that build a 'wall' against coup plotters and traitors. The move escalates a long-standing crackdown on political dissent, free speech, independent media, and civil society. Ortega, now 80, first came to power in 1979 and returned to the presidency in 2007. His regime, co-led with his wife Rosario Murillo, has been accused of rigging elections, imprisoning opponents, torture, and extrajudicial executions. The 2021 election was widely condemned as a sham by the US, EU, and human rights groups. At least 46 political prisoners remain detained, though the government denies holding any.