Nicaragua President Ortega Declares End of Elections, Prompting International Condemnation

President Daniel Ortega announced on July 19, the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, that Nicaragua will no longer hold elections, stating “here there will never be elections again” to prevent the opposition from seizing power. The declaration follows constitutional reforms that made his wife Rosario Murillo a co‑president, extended presidential terms to six years and further concentrated power in the Ortega‑Murillo couple.

The announcement has drawn sharp rebuke from the European Union, which called for the release of political prisoners, restoration of the rule of law and the holding of transparent, inclusive elections. The EU, together with the United Nations, the Organization of American States and individual states such as Brazil and Bolivia, urged Nicaragua to respect the sovereign right of its people to choose their leaders and to engage in dialogue with the opposition.

Human‑rights groups note that the move marks a further erosion of democratic institutions after years of repression, jailings of opponents and attacks on independent media. Analysts describe the decision as a decisive step toward an authoritarian, single‑party regime.