22.07.2026 07:50
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's statement that "there will be no more elections in the country" has drawn international backlash. Accusing the opposition of being "pro-coup" and "traitors to the homeland," Ortega said they would not allow a change of power through elections. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned the remarks, stating that they reveal the "true authoritarian nature" of the Ortega regime.
The US strongly reacted to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's announcement that elections will no longer be held in the country.
According to reports in the national press, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement issued through the State Department, criticized Ortega's remarks aimed at completely abolishing elections.
"EXPOSED ITS TRUE AUTHORITARIAN NATURE" Rubio stated that Ortega's comments revealed the "true authoritarian nature" of his regime, expressing that the rhetoric about abolishing elections is contrary to democratic values.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ORTEGA HAD SAID "ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE HELD AGAIN" Daniel Ortega, in a speech during the 47th anniversary celebrations of the Sandinista Revolution in the capital Managua, announced that no more elections would be held in Nicaragua, citing US intervention and the country's sovereignty. Ortega stated, "Elections, through which they might try to take over the government and power here, will never be held again."
OPPOSITION ALSO REACTED Ortega's remarks also drew backlash from the opposition in the country. Opposition figures Felix Maradiaga Saenz and Juan Sebastian Chamorro argued that Ortega had openly declared one-party rule, claiming the constitution was being violated to serve the interests of those in power.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega ORTEGA ADMINISTRATION Ortega, 80, governed Nicaragua in the 1980s following the victory of the Sandinista Revolution, which ended the Somoza family dictatorship.
Returning to power in 2007, Ortega has since led the country. In recent years, the Ortega administration, accused of systematically suppressing the opposition, has drawn international criticism for shutting down numerous civil society organizations and targeting journalists, human rights defenders, and activists with its policies.
While many civil society organizations, universities, media outlets, and religious associations have been closed in the country, assets of many government critics have been confiscated. These steps have further strengthened criticisms that the Ortega administration is increasingly intensifying pressure on the opposition.
The United Nations (UN) Group of Experts on Nicaragua argues that some actions of the Ortega government may constitute crimes against humanity. The Managua government, however, rejects these reports, labeling them as alleged interventionist attempts.