United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega over his pledge to abolish elections in the country, warning that the Trump administration and the international community will not stand by as the Ortega-Murillo government deepens its repression at home.
Rubio made the remarks in a post on X on Tuesday, describing Ortega’s move as an act of cowardice driven by fear of the Nicaraguan people’s will.
“The Trump Administration and the international community will not stand by as the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship deepens repression at home and manufactures instability that threatens US national security.
“Ortega’s pledge to abolish elections in Nicaragua proves his cowardice and fear of the Nicaraguan people’s will,” Rubio said.
Ortega, who has ruled Nicaragua alongside his wife and Vice President, Rosario Murillo, since 2007, announced earlier this month that his government would move to abolish presidential elections entirely, further entrenching what critics have long described as a family dictatorship.
The announcement drew swift condemnation from human rights organisations and Western governments.
Nicaragua has faced growing international isolation in recent years under Ortega, with the government expelling Catholic bishops, shutting down civil society organisations, stripping hundreds of dissidents of their citizenship and imprisoning political opponents.
The United States has imposed successive rounds of sanctions on Nicaraguan officials under both the Biden and Trump administrations.
Rubio’s statement signals that Washington could pursue additional measures against Managua, although he did not specify what actions the administration was considering.
(The Whistler)