November 13, 2022

THIS WEEK IN HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS

Free and fair elections not upheld as Nicaragua’s President Ortega expands total control of federal & local government

Sources: ABC News, BBC, DW, Politico, Urnas Abiertas, Washington Post

This month, local elections held in Nicaragua resulted in the complete control of the ruling party, Sandinista National Liberation Front, in all 153 municipalities. 

Political opposition to the current ruling party, Sandinista National Liberation Front, has increasingly been crushed under President Daniel Ortega. Before the 2022 elections, the party already controlled all three branches of government and 141 of the 153 municipalities in Nicaragua.

The recent elections notably did not have any rallies or demonstrations, as reported by Washington Post and Deutsche Welle. They also reported that a civic group, Urnas Abiertas (Open Ballot Boxes), found that Sandinista party operators were ‘keeping tabs on who voted’ at 63% of the polls they visited. In addition,  41% of the polls displayed Sandinista promotional posters and gear. Urnas Abiertas also provides an analysis of local power in Nicaragua – and democratic failures – in a report on their website. 

In addition to cracking down on opposition leaders and parties, the party has closed 2,000 NGOs and 50 media organisations. Since 2018, following mass protests against Ortega, more than 200,000 people have fled the country.