Nicaraguan Elections Marred by Crackdown on Opposition
HAVANA TIMES – In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega appears to have secured his victory in Sunday’s election after unleashing a months-long crackdown on his opposition. An early count shows Ortega receiving about three-quarters of the vote, with around half of the ballots still to be counted. He’s seeking a fourth term as president. Dozens of opposition figures, including seven presidential hopefuls, have been arrested since June. That prompted international outcry and sanctions from the U.S., European Union and other nations. This is an exiled Nicaraguan in San José, Costa Rica, at a protest denouncing Sunday’s election.
Noemi Pavón: “In Nicaragua, there are no elections. In Nicaragua, there is an electoral circus, where Ortega chose those who will accompany him in this political circus. He let his political allies go free — collaborationist parties, as we call them. He imprisoned those candidates who formed a genuine opposition.”