US Accuses Ortega-Murillo Government Of Entrenching Rule

By Mintesinot Nigussie  |  September 3, 2026

The United States has accused Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and Vice-President Rosario Murillo of using constitutional changes to further consolidate their grip on power, as Washington called on international partners to reconsider their dealings with the government.

The US State Department said Nicaragua’s National Assembly had amended the constitution in a move that further undermines the country’s democratic institutions and could indefinitely restrict Nicaraguans’ ability to choose their government through free and fair elections.

Washington urged international partners to stop what it described as “business as usual” with the Ortega-Murillo government, arguing that regimes that deny citizens fundamental rights should not receive the same economic or political benefits as governments committed to regional peace and security.

The statement marks another escalation in US criticism of the Nicaraguan government, which Washington has repeatedly accused of human rights abuses and dismantling democratic institutions.

The US said the Ortega-Murillo government’s actions also pose risks to stability and economic prosperity across the Western Hemisphere.

The Trump administration said it would continue identifying and implementing measures in response to alleged human rights violations, including through multilateral forums such as the Organization of American States. Washington said it stands behind Nicaraguans’ right to determine the country’s political future.

Source: FSX Business News