Nicaragua's Legislature Considers Banning Opposition Parties from Elections

The National Assembly of Nicaragua, largely controlled by President Daniel Ortega’s party, is currently debating a bill that could effectively bar opposition parties from contesting in upcoming elections. A vote on this controversial measure is expected in the first week of August.

This legislative move follows recent remarks by President Ortega, who declared that the opposition would “no longer have elections to try to seize the government.” His statements, made during a speech commemorating the 1979 Sandinista revolution, accused the opposition of being US-funded and attempting to “organize parties to try and win an election.”

Ortega asserted that new laws would be enacted to create a “wall” to prevent those he calls “coup mongers” from gaining power, regardless of external financial support. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has condemned these sentiments, emphasizing that individuals of all political viewpoints must be free to vote and run for office.

Critics, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have denounced Ortega’s actions as indicative of his regime’s authoritarian nature. Rubio stated that Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, have abandoned any pretense of seeking popular consent.

Gustavo Porras, the head of the National Assembly, however, dismissed international criticism. He indicated that lawmakers and the electoral authority are collaborating to ensure the opposition has no “crack” to establish a foothold.

This potential ban comes after the 2021 presidential elections, which were widely criticized following a severe crackdown on dissent. Many opposition figures were detained or forced into exile, while a few minor candidates were permitted to run. In 2025, a constitutional reform extended presidential terms to six years and named Murillo as “co-president,” enabling her to assume the presidency if Ortega is deemed “permanently absent.”

Exiled opposition leaders have voiced strong opposition. Juan Sebastián Chamorro characterized Ortega’s plans as an effort to create a one-party state, while Felix Maradiaga suggested Ortega’s actions reveal his fear that the desire for change in Nicaragua remains alive.