Nicaragua President Ortega says elections will be cancelled

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced on Sunday, July 19, that the country will no longer hold elections, a declaration that would eliminate the possibility of an electoral challenge to his rule. The announcement was made during a speech in Managua marking the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution that first brought him to power in 1979.

Ortega, who has governed continuously since 2007 and shares power with his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, stated that the move would close the door to any opposition takeover. He said he would work with the National Assembly, which is controlled by his party, to pass laws creating a barrier against parties seeking to reach government through elections. Ortega did not provide specific details on how the change would be implemented or what political system would replace the electoral process.

The statement effectively cancels Nicaragua's next general elections, which had been scheduled for November 2027 following a constitutional reform in early 2025. That reform extended the presidential term from five to six years and formally named Murillo as co-president. The move had already been widely criticized by the United Nations,...