Nicaragua to hold general elections
Nicaraguans will head to the polls today to vote in a general election.
Voters will cast ballots for a president, all 92 members of the Nicaraguan National Assembly, and the country’s 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament.
Several international observers have already declared the election a sham. Incumbent President Daniel Ortega of the socialist Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) decided in August to arrest and jail the majority of opposition candidates and a number of his former allies, effectively leaving him as the only real candidate on the ballot. This move is a continuation of the repressive policies Ortega introduced in the wake of widespread anti-government protests which saw hundreds killed and thousands arrested.
Given the lack of real opponents—as well as the opposition’s calls for a boycott—expect a landslide reelection for Ortega. The FSLN is also likely to maintain, if not expand, its 71-seat majority in the National Assembly.
Moreover, expect immediate international condemnation of Ortega and the election’s results. The US, for example, has labeled Ortega a dictator and passed a bill on Wednesday expanding sanctions on election officials in the government with additional measures likely if government repression increases at the current rate.
Wake up smarter with an assessment of the stories that will make headlines in the next 24 hours. Download The Daily Brief.
