Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega The results released on Monday showed that after suppressing political opponents, it is easy to be locked for a fourth consecutive term, which has led the United States and other countries to warn of possible sanctions and demand free and fair elections.
Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Commission stated that almost all votes were counted. Preliminary statistics showed that Ortega’s Sandinista Alliance won with about 76% of the votes.
In the months leading up to Sunday’s election, the West and many Latin American countries expressed deep concern about the fairness of the vote, because Ortega detained opponents and business leaders, cancelled rival parties, and criminalized dissent crime.
Election observers from the European Union and the Organization of American States were not allowed to scrutinize the process, and journalists were barred from entering Nicaragua.
Human rights groups call for pressure on Ortega in Nicaragua for pre-election suppression
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Brinken stated that his country will cooperate with other democratic governments and is prepared to use a range of tools, including possible sanctions, visa restrictions, and coordinated actions, to combat the “undemocratic behaviors” allegedly involved in supporting the Nicaraguan government. “People.
Democrats in the US Congress urge President Joe Biden to support the so-called Renacer Act, which aims to increase pressure on Ortega and seek to strengthen regional cooperation to promote democratic institutions.
All 27 EU member states issued a statement accusing Ortega of “systematic imprisonment, harassment and intimidation” of opponents, journalists and activists.
The European Union stated that the election “completed the transformation of Nicaragua into an authoritarian regime.”Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Spain and the United Kingdom Call for the release of detained opposition leaders.
“Elections are neither free, fair, nor competitive,” said Jose Manuel Albares, Spanish Foreign Minister.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolly stated in a statement that the election “does not reflect the wishes of the people of Nicaragua.”
In a speech lasting more than an hour on Monday night, Ortega counterattacked the United States and Europe, labeling them “Yankee imperialists.”
Speaking to supporters in Plaza de Revolution in Managua, Ortega said: “They want to be the head of the Supreme Electoral Council… to count the votes of Nicaraguans.” “This situation will not happen again in Nicaragua. No, never again.”
Regarding the imprisoned opponent, Ortega said: “They are not Nicaraguans, they have no homeland.”
Cuba, Venezuela and Russia have all provided support to Ortega.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that the United States calls on all countries not to admit that this result is “unacceptable.”
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it will not comment on the election until the official results are announced. A Mexican official who asked not to be named said that Mexico is critical of Ortega’s imprisonment, but supports non-interference in Nicaragua’s affairs.
Former rebels
Ortega’s victory cemented the increasingly repressive political model he established in recent years with his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.
Ortega was a Marxist rebel who helped overthrow the dictatorship of the right-wing Somoza family in the late 1970s. He said he was defending Nicaragua against illegal opponents who tried to use foreign power to expel him. His government passed a series of laws to make it easy to prosecute opponents of crimes such as “treason to the motherland”.
Only five little-known candidates allied with Ortega’s Sandinista party, most of which were small parties, and were allowed to compete with him.
“Most people I know decided not to vote. They said it was crazy,” said Naomi, a government opponent from the eastern port of Bluefields, who refused to give her surname out of fear of retaliation.
“What they are doing here is a joke.”
Nicaragua released some protesters after the government’s crackdown, including Belgian activists
Nicaragua’s electoral authorities stated that the turnout rate was 65%.
In the 1980s, Ortega served a presidency before being rejected. He returned to the top position in 2007.
After initially achieving solid economic growth and attracting private investment, the Ortega government changed direction in response to anti-government protests in 2018. In the ensuing crackdown, more than 300 people were killed.
Since then, tens of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled the country. Many of them gathered in neighboring Costa Rica on Sunday to show their contempt for Ortega.
Long-term dissatisfaction is Expected to drive more immigration In Costa Rica and the United States, a record number of Nicaraguans were arrested at the border this year.
Haydee Castillo, a human rights activist who was arrested in 2018 and now living in the United States, called the election “a farce.”
“Despite the resolutions and statements made by the international community, he did not make concessions,” Castillo said.
(Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in San Jose; Alvaro Murillo in San Jose, Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City, Natalia Ramos in Santiago, Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow, Guy Faulconbridge in London, Inti Landauro in Madrid, Patricia Zengerle in Washington and Dave Gray Umm and Jack Kincaid in Mexico City; Editing by Catherine Evans, Rosaba O’Brien, and Grant McCool
