Nicaragua’s Ortega Declares Country Will Never Hold Elections Again

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has declared that the country will “never again” hold elections, formally abolishing even the pretense of democratic governance in a dramatic escalation of the authoritarian consolidation he has pursued alongside his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo. The announcement, made on July 19 during a speech commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution, has drawn swift international condemnation and effectively seals Nicaragua’s transition to a fully consolidated personalist dictatorship.

“There won’t be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power,” Ortega said, according to Fox News. He was referring to opposition parties, which he characterized as being backed by the United States and the remnants of the Somoza-era elite. “The days when parties backed by the Yankees and the Somocistas would return to power are over — never again.”

Context: A Long Slide Into Authoritarianism

Ortega, 80, has been in power continuously since 2007, having previously served as president from 1985 to 1990 following the Sandinista revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship. Over the past decade and a half, he has progressively dismantled democratic institutions, winning elections in 2011, 2016, and 2021 — each more disputed than the last.

The 2021 election was widely condemned as illegitimate after Ortega’s government arrested opposition candidates, outlawed political parties, and claimed victory with over 75 percent of the vote. Since then, the regime has intensified its crackdown on dissent, shutting down more than 5,600 non-governmental organizations, 29 universities, and 58 media outlets, according to The Guardian.

In January 2025, the National Assembly unanimously passed sweeping constitutional reforms that extended the presidential term from five to six years, elevated Murillo from vice president to “co-president,” and placed all legislative, judicial, and electoral institutions under presidential authority. The reforms took effect in February 2025, effectively eliminating the separation of powers.

The Announcement and Its Implications

Ortega made his declaration after a 61-day absence from public view, which had fueled speculation about his health. Speaking at the Plaza de la Fe in Managua before thousands of state employees — who, according to local media, had been pressured into attending — Ortega said he would work with the National Assembly to pass new laws that would “build a wall, a barrier, against the coup plotters and the traitors.”

“With this decision, Ortega and Murillo have sealed the country’s transition to a full-fledged family dictatorship,” Tiziano Breda, Latin America senior analyst at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED), told The Guardian. “Ortega and Murillo are evidently afraid of the idea that the slightest political opening could create the conditions for dissent to manifest and threaten their grip on power, possibly suggesting that their already feeble domestic support is further falling. Therefore, instead of staging a rigged election, they have opted to eliminate electoral competition altogether.”

The next elections had been scheduled for November 2027 under the new constitutional timeline. Ortega’s announcement cancels them outright.

Human Rights Crisis

The declaration comes against a backdrop of severe human rights abuses documented by international bodies. A United Nations group of experts has accused the Ortega-Murillo government of systematic human rights violations that may amount to crimes against humanity, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial executions.

According to Al Jazeera, the regime’s 2018 crackdown on anti-government protests left more than 300 people dead. Since then, the government has stripped 546 people of their citizenship, and nearly 1 million Nicaraguans have been forced into exile, many living as refugees in Costa Rica, Spain, and the United States.

Approximately 50 political prisoners remain in the country, according to Human Rights Watch. Independent journalism has been effectively eliminated, with outlets like Confidencial — which reported extensively on the July 19 event — operating from exile.

International Response

The United States, which has already labeled the Ortega-Murillo government a “dictatorship” and imposed sanctions on more than 2,350 officials and their family members, condemned the announcement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has previously stated that “the United States stands with the Nicaraguan people who aspire to see a free Nicaragua.”

However, meaningful international action faces significant obstacles. Ortega maintains diplomatic support from key allies including Russia, China, Venezuela, and Cuba. During his speech, Ortega expressed solidarity with the regimes in Cuba and Venezuela and condemned the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.

Notably, no foreign leaders attended the July 19 ceremony — a break from previous years. Ortega and Murillo appeared isolated on stage, accompanied only by senior civilian and military officials.

What Comes Next

The National Assembly, controlled by Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), is expected to quickly pass laws formalizing the election ban. Analysts suggest the move reflects regime insecurity, particularly regarding Ortega’s health — he reportedly suffers from lupus and kidney failure — and the question of succession.

Murillo, described as the “iron fist” behind the regime, has been conducting an internal purge of state institutions, reportedly in preparation for a potential transition of power. Under the 2025 constitutional reforms, she would automatically assume the presidency if Ortega were to die or become incapacitated.

For Nicaragua’s opposition, largely operating in exile, the formal abolition of elections extinguishes any remaining hope of a political transition through the ballot box. The nearly 1 million Nicaraguans in diaspora represent a significant community that may continue advocating for change, but inside the country, the space for dissent has effectively been eliminated.

As The Tico Times reported, Ortega told supporters: “They should forget about it. Here in Nicaragua, there will never again be elections.” With those words, one of the last remaining democratic pretenses in Central America has been formally abandoned.