US Condemns Nicaragua's Election Ban, Calls for Global Action Against Ortega Regime

The US State Department sharply criticized Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's announcement to permanently cancel elections in Nicaragua. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Ortega's move as revealing his true authoritarian nature and accused him and his wife, Rosario Murillo, of abandoning any pretense of popular consent. The US emphasized that the Nicaraguan people have the right to choose their leaders through free and fair democratic elections.

The US called on the international community to unite and take collective action against the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship, warning that business as usual cannot continue while fundamental democratic principles are being destroyed. Ortega, who unexpectedly declared that Nicaragua will never hold elections again, also announced plans to enact laws to block opposition participation in parliamentary processes.

Ortega, 80, was formerly a member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, which overthrew the Somoza family dictatorship in the late 1970s. After losing power in the 1990s, he returned to office in 2007 and has since increasingly undermined democratic institutions. His regime has severed ties with the West, including Israel, cracked down on dissent with arrests and alleged eliminations, removed term limits, and appointed his wife as "co-president" and designated successor.

The US response highlights growing international concern over Ortega's consolidation of power and the erosion of democracy in Nicaragua.