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Nicaragua's Ortega says 'never again' for elections after two decades in power
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"There won't be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power," Ortega said in a speech on Sunday evening to commemorate the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which Ortega helped overthrow the U.S.-backed Anastasio Somoza dictatorship.
Nicaragua's last election in 2021 was widely disputed after Ortega detained opponents and business leaders and criminalized dissent.
Last year, Ortega further consolidated his power through a series of constitutional reforms that included naming his wife Rosario Murillo as "co-president" and extending the presidential term to six years.
Advertisement AdvertisementThe U.N. Human Rights Council has accused Ortega and Murillo's government of transforming the country "into an authoritarian state" and systematically violating human rights.
"Instead of staging a rigged election, they have opted to eliminate electoral competition altogether."