U.N. Panel Accuses Nicaragua Co-Presidents of Building Dictatorship

A U.N. expert group determined Wednesday that there are reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity have been committed in Nicaragua.

The investigation began in April 2018, following mass protests that triggered a violent government crackdown. Since that year, co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have consolidated power through a series of legal and executive actions. In 2021, Ortega declared victory in an election widely viewed as illegitimate after jailing potential rivals. Last year, the country adopted a new constitution that removed the independence of the legislature and judiciary, placing both under the direct control of the co-presidents.

Jan-Michael Simon, chair of the expert group appointed by the Human Rights Council, described the current political structure as a full dictatorship aimed at permanent dynastic rule. He noted that Ortega stated four months ago that Nicaragua would never hold elections again. Reed Brody, a member of the panel, added that the ruling Sandinista Party now controls the police, courts, and prisons, leaving no independent opposition parties, press, or critical non-governmental organizations within the country.

The panel documented specific mechanisms used to eliminate political opposition, including arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and political persecution. Brody stated that at least 452 individuals considered political opponents have been declared traitors since February 2023. This group includes former Sandinista leaders, a former vice president, and all presidential candidates from the 2021 election. These individuals were stripped of their citizenship, rendering them stateless. The government has also shuttered more than 5,000 organizations, primarily religious groups, and forced thousands of citizens to flee the country.

Nicaragua’s government, which has withdrawn from the Human Rights Council, responded by calling the agency manipulated, obsolete, and interfering. The state accused neo-colonialist powers of weaponizing human rights for political aggression. The government frequently asserts that its critics work for the United States and its enemies to undermine national power. The U.S. currently does not recognize Ortega’s presidency.

The experts recommended that countries bring a case against Nicaragua to the International Court of Justice for violating the convention on statelessness. Nicaragua is not a party to the International Criminal Court. The panel also highlighted the existence of a transnational surveillance network that monitors and intimidates hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans living abroad.