The guy from Nicaragua decided everything himself: there will be no more elections

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced that the country will no longer hold elections.

It seems that Nicaragua has decided to finally get rid of the election race, notes xrust. Not because voters are tired of it, but because the elections themselves are no longer planned.

President Daniel Ortega, during a speech dedicated to the anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, said that Nicaragua will no longer hold presidential elections. According to his logic, this should forever close the path to power to political forces that, in the opinion of the current leadership, work in the interests of the United States and the former elite.

For the Russian reader, it is worth explaining: Nicaragua is a small Central American state with a population of about seven million people. However, the political processes here have long been under the close attention of the whole world. Ortega has led the country since 2007, and before that he already served as president in the 1980s after the victory of the revolution.

In recent years, his power has only increased. In 2025, the provisions of the constitution were changed: the presidential term was increased to six years, and the wife of the head of state, Rosario Murillo, officially received the status of co-ruler. Today, it is this family team that controls key government institutions — from the executive branch to the judicial system.

Therefore, many experts call the current statement an official recognition of an already established political model rather than an unexpected reform.

The last elections in the country took place against the backdrop of high-profile scandals. Opposition politicians and potential candidates were either arrested or fled the country. International observers have repeatedly stated that full-fledged political competition has not existed in Nicaragua for a long time. Now, analysts believe, the very mechanism that at least formally allowed for a change of power is disappearing.

It is curious that on social networks the news caused not only concern, but also a stream of ironic comments. Users write that this is the easiest way to guarantee victory in any future elections — just don’t hold them anymore. The jokes quickly spread throughout the Spanish-speaking segment of the Internet, although behind the humor there is a serious topic.

International reaction, on the contrary, was expectedly harsh. The UN Human Rights Council has previously accused Nicaraguan authorities of systematic human rights violations, and the United States has already imposed sanctions against thousands of Nicaraguan officials and individuals associated with them. Following the new announcement, many observers expect further increased diplomatic pressure.

This story is interesting not only to Nicaragua itself. It shows how quickly a political system can go from arguing about the integrity of elections to a situation where the question of voting disappears altogether. And that is why Ortega’s statement is already being called one of the most high-profile political events of the summer of 2026.

Sources:

Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/

Xrust The guy from Nicaragua decided everything himself: there will be no more elections