Nicaragua and El Salvador show the two very different paths Latin America has taken.
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Who knew that a left-wing president would cancel elections? Let’s check out what’s happening in Nicaragua, or the country that made Ollie North and the word “contras” famous. Here is the story:
Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega said the Central American country would no longer hold elections, further closing off any potential path for the opposition to challenge the government he leads with his wife, Rosario Murillo.
Ortega, Nicaragua’s longest-serving leader, has remained in power since 2007 after previously governing during the 1980s. His current presidential term is scheduled to run through 2027.
“There won’t be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power,” Ortega said.
He delivered the remarks Sunday during a speech commemorating the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which Ortega participated in the overthrow of the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.
The declaration appeared to eliminate the possibility of a future electoral challenge as Ortega and Murillo continue consolidating control over the country’s political institutions.
“The days when parties backed by the Yankees (United States) and the Somocistas would return to power are over — never again,” Ortega declared.
Here it goes: We are not going to let the opposition seize power, so we will cancel the elections. It does not get better than that. Who wants “los Yankees” running things anyway?
In the meantime, the US Department of State has issued travel warnings to Nicaragua. According to the report, you should “...reconsider travel in Nicaragua due to risk of crime, health, wrongful detention, and arbitrary enforcement of local laws.” The warning is that tourists should stay away from markets and public places, or the real world, and concentrate on tourist destinations, a.k.a tourist traps.
It’s funny how two neighbors have gone in different directions. Nicaragua, run by a socialist husband-and-wife team, is a mess. El Salvador, run by a law-and-order guy, is doing quite well. At the same time, the candidates running and winning in Latin America are praising President Bukele of El Salvador and staying away from Ortega and his wife.
So, stay away from Nicaragua, where they cancel elections for fear of losing them. And check out El Salvador, where the voters want more of what they voted for.
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Click to read:
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/07/who-needs-an-election-anyway/
