Nicaragua Congress announces plan to suspend elections

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the international community to “join forces” against Nicaragua’s authoritarian regime, following the country’s congress—controlled by President Daniel Ortega—unveiling a “work plan” to enforce a decree that the nation would no longer hold elections. The announcement, made on Sunday, was met with swift condemnation from the United Nations and the United States, which called the move a grave erosion of democratic norms.

Ortega, who has ruled Nicaragua since 2007, recently secured a constitutional amendment that expanded his powers and enabled him to share the presidency with his wife, Rosario Murillo, who now serves as co‑president. The congress’s decision to halt elections is seen as a direct extension of Ortega’s long‑standing strategy to consolidate control, a strategy that has drawn international scrutiny and accusations of authoritarianism.

The U.S. and UN statements underscore a growing concern that Nicaragua’s political trajectory threatens regional stability and the rule of law. Both bodies have called for coordinated diplomatic and economic measures to pressure the Ortega administration, emphasizing that the international community must act decisively to safeguard democratic institutions in the country.