Nicaragua: EU warns that Daniel Ortega regime’s actions make it difficult to hold credible elections

The European Union (EU) said on Monday that the decision of the Supreme Electoral Council (SSC) of Nicaragua remove the Citizens for Freedom Alliance (CxL) opposition from the electoral process three months before the elections, makes it difficult to hold legitimate and credible elections.

The High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union (EU), Josep borrell, said in a statement that the President of Nicaragua, Daniel ortega, and the vice-president Rosario Murillo, “They want to win the election without competition.”

“Its decision, implemented by the Supreme Electoral Council on August 6, to withdraw the legal personality of the last opposition political party remaining before the legislative elections in November, destroys the prospects for a legitimate and credible electoral process“, he underlined.

The EU considers that “The opposition has been eliminated” and that Nicaraguans are deprived of the right to vote “Through credible, inclusive and transparent elections, in accordance with the Nicaraguan Constitution and international human rights laws and standards.

He also recalled that the 27 condemn “the adoption of restrictive laws, She keeps systematic repression and the arbitrary detention presidential candidates, opposition leaders, student leaders and peasant movements, journalists and business representatives ”.

“President Ortega and Vice-President Murillo must stop this autocratic spiral and change course», Specifies the press release.

The EU further urged the Nicaraguan authorities to “Free all political prisoners, reinstate political parties, repeal restrictive laws and allow free elections and just with the objective of reconciliation and democratic solution ”.

Civic unity of all social, economic and political actors in Nicaragua in favor of peaceful democratic change “It is always essential to build a better future”adds the statement.

In this context, he indicates that the EU “will work with the International community defend dialogue and democracy and promote respect for the rule of law and human rights in Nicaragua ”.

On August 2, the EU imposed sanctions on eight other people in the context of the political crisis in Nicaragua and included in this group the vice-president and wife of Ortega, Rosario Murillo.

The sanctions regime against Nicaragua was first adopted in October 2019, after the Council repeatedly expressed its concern at the deteriorating political and social situation in Nicaragua and condemn the repression exercised since April 2018 against political opponents, protesters, independent media and civil society.

On May 4, 2020, the Council adopted the first restrictive measures against six people.

(With information from AFP)

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