Nicaragua’s long-serving president Daniel Ortega said the Central American country will no longer hold elections, eliminating the possibility of an electoral challenge when his term ends next year and further entrenching the rule he shares with his wife, Rosario Murillo.
Ortega made the announcement Sunday evening in a speech commemorating the 1979 Sandinista revolution, which he helped lead to overthrow the Anastasio Somoza dictatorship. “There won’t be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power,” Ortega said, according to Reuters. “The days when parties backed by the Yankees and the Somocistas would return to power are over – never again.” It was his first public appearance in two months.
The move represents the culmination of a decade-long consolidation of power. In 2014, Ortega orchestrated the removal of presidential term limits through a constitutional amendment, allowing him to run indefinitely despite earlier pledges to respect two-term limits. The amendment passed in January 2014 through the National Assembly, which was already controlled by his supporters.
Last year, Ortega further tightened his grip on power through sweeping constitutional reforms approved in January 2025. The reforms formally named Murillo as “co-president” and extended the presidential term from five to six years, according to the International Center for Transitional Justice. Ortega and Murillo now control virtually every aspect of the government, including the armed forces and the judiciary.
Nicaragua’s democratic institutions have deteriorated sharply under Ortega’s rule. The 2021 election was widely disputed after Ortega detained opponents and business leaders and criminalized dissent. The government has been accused by the U.N. Human Rights Council of transforming the country “into an authoritarian state” and systematically violating human rights.
This follows a severe political crisis that began in April 2018, when Ortega responded to anti-government protests with a military crackdown. According to Human Rights Watch, a brutal response by the National Police and heavily armed pro-government groups lasted several months and left more than 300 people dead. The protests had been triggered by proposed cuts to social security for seniors.
Sources
- Reuters — Ortega’s announcement that Nicaragua will no longer hold elections, the speech context, and details on constitutional reforms extending the presidential term and naming Murillo co-president
- BBC — Constitutional amendment in January 2014 removing presidential term limits
- International Center for Transitional Justice — January 2025 constitutional reforms extending the presidential term to six years and expanding state control over media
- Human Rights Watch — 2018 crackdown by National Police and pro-government groups resulting in more than 300 deaths
- U.N. Human Rights Council — Accusations that Ortega’s government transformed Nicaragua into an authoritarian state with systematic human rights violations
