Municipal elections are held on Sunday, November 6, almost a year to the day after the re -election for a fourth term of the president, Daniel Ortega. The opposition and the international community denounce the lack of transparency in the holding of the polls.
by
On November 7, 2021, Daniel Ortega, president since 2007, took a fourth term in a row in Nicaragua, braving the constitution of this Central America country of 6.7 million inhabitants. Almost a year to the day after his re -election, 153 municipalities will be renewed, Sunday, November 6, in a ballot denounced by the opposition and the international community because of its lack of transparency.
Like last year, there was no campaign. Freedom of association in group is prohibited and the regime works to limit the debate; The Supreme Electoral Council, controlled by the regime, pretended to pass the Hurricane Julia to reduce the duration of the official campaign to thirteen days, in mid-October, without informing the population.
In the municipalities which put their mandate into play, no meeting was held; On official buildings, schools or town halls, no posters of candidates. “Like last year, the context does not guarantee the holding of a free and democratic ballot, Analysis Astrid Valencia, Director of Amnesty International for Central America. The government has endeavored to eliminate or demobilize its Political adversaries through arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and locked the aspirants in the presidential election. “
” Critical point “
The independent organization Urnas Abiertas (“open urns”) regrets that “that there is [it] no possible electoral campaign” or “democratic guarantees”. Accusations confirmed by the United Nations Organization by the voice of its special rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful meeting and association, Clément Voule, which “urges the State to restore and restore the full exercise of rights civilians and politicians “and for whom” restrictions on fundamental freedoms have reached a critical point “.
“The process constitutes a new massive fraud, worse than that of last year, considers Enrique Martinez, 24, political advisor to juvenile and student unity, the largest political and social organization of youth in the country. Ortega has dismantled the media and has arbitrarily arrested mayors of the opposition in practice. In recent months, he has strived to dislocate all the mechanisms likely to testify to this electoral fraud. “Sunday, as last year , no observer of the UN or the organization of the American States will be on site to supervise the vote.
Since 2018 and protests that have resulted in the death of at least 355 people and hundreds of arbitrary detentions, Nicaragua acted its repressive turn, under the leadership of the duo formed by Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, vice-president. Some lend the latter a tenfold power due to the suspicions of disease surrounding her husband. The one who will be 77 years old on November 11 appears only to rare occasions in sports tracksuits, caps screwed on the head.
You have 35.89% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.