Nicaragua will not hold further elections, President Daniel Ortega declared Saturday, effectively shutting the door on any future transfer of power through the ballot box.
Speaking in Managua at a rally marking the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution, the 80-year-old leader said his government would work with the National Assembly to draft laws that block opponents he accused of being backed by the United States from ever seizing power. He described the opposition as coup-plotters and traitors, adding that the era of U.S.-installed parties returning to government was over.
A constitutional overhaul enacted in early 2025 already extended the presidential term from five to six years, introduced a co-president figure, and pushed general elections originally due in November 2026 to November 2027.