Opposition doors closed: Elections that could change the government will never be held again in that country

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has stated that the opposition will not be allowed to come to power in the country through elections. In his speech at the celebrations held in the capital Managua for the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, Ortega delivered harsh messages citing US interference and the country's sovereignty.

Addressing thousands of his supporters, Ortega argued that the possibility of parties established by the US and those he described as pro-Somoza returning to government has been closed. Ortega said, "The story of parties founded here by Yankees or Somocistas returning to government is over. Never, never, never..."

Accusing the opposition of targeting public resources, Ortega said, "They are trying to make money through schools. But let them forget it: Elections where they could try to seize the government and power will never be held here again."

The remarks received a harsh reaction from the Nicaraguan opposition. Felix Maradiaga Saenz, one of the opposition figures stripped of his citizenship in 2023, argued that the constitution is constantly violated or changed according to the interests of those in power.

Opposition leader Juan Sebastian Chamorro, who was sent into exile after being imprisoned for a period and had his citizenship revoked, also stated that Ortega has now openly declared the one-party rule he has effectively implemented for years. Chamorro claimed that Ortega aims to establish a permanent one-party system similar to those in China, North Korea, and Cuba.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reacted to Ortega's words. In a statement released through the State Department, Rubio said that the expressions aimed at completely abolishing elections reveal the "true authoritarian nature" of the Ortega administration.

The 80-year-old Ortega ruled Nicaragua in the 1980s following the end of the Somoza family dictatorship. Ortega, who returned to power in 2007, has been in charge of the country since then.

The Ortega administration has been criticized in recent years for increasing pressure on the opposition. Numerous non-governmental organizations, universities, media outlets, and religious associations have been closed in the country; the assets of some individuals critical of the government have been seized.

While the United Nations Group of Experts on Nicaragua argues that some actions of the Ortega government may constitute crimes against humanity, the Managua administration rejects these assessments, describing them as "interventionist attempts."

News Source: 12punto