Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced that the country will no longer hold elections, effectively ending any possibility of opposition challenges. The declaration came during a speech commemorating the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which Ortega participated in overthrowing the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza. Ortega, who has ruled Nicaragua since 2007, stated that "there won't be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power." His current term is scheduled to run through 2027, but the announcement suggests he intends to remain in power indefinitely.
The move further consolidates Ortega's control over Nicaragua's political institutions, which he shares with his wife, Rosario Murillo, who holds the title of co-president. The U.S. State Department has not responded to requests for comment, but the Trump administration has previously described the Ortega-Murillo government as a dictatorship and imposed sanctions on over 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their family members. The Biden administration has also condemned the 2021 election as illegitimate, citing the arrest of opposition candidates and the suppression of dissent.
Ortega's speech also targeted the United States, declaring that "the days when parties backed by the Yankees (United States) and the Somocistas would return to power are over—never again." The announcement follows a series of constitutional reforms that extended the presidential term to six years and granted Murillo co-presidential powers. The U.N. Human Rights Council has accused the Ortega-Murillo government of transforming Nicaragua into an authoritarian state and systematically violating human rights. In 2018, a government crackdown on anti-government protests resulted in over 300 deaths.
The opposition had hoped for elections in November 2027, but Ortega's declaration effectively cancels those plans. The government-controlled congress had already extended the presidential term by one year in January 2025. Analysts and opposition politicians view the move as a further step toward authoritarian rule, with Ortega and Murillo controlling virtually all branches of government, including the armed forces and the judiciary.