General elections in Nicaragua: how the power silenced the opposition and the press?

Audio 19:30

A man sits in front of a banner promoting the re-election of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in Managua, September 24, 2021. OSWALDO RIVAS AFP

By: Clémentine Pawlotsky

1 min

Nicaragua is organizing its general elections on Sunday, November 7, 2021.

The ballot should make it possible to elect the President of the Republic, the members of the National Assembly and the Nicaraguan deputies of the Central American Parliament.

Unsurprisingly, outgoing president Daniel Ortega, 75, is expected to win a fourth term, after ruling out any competition from the opposition.

Since June 2021, around 40 personalities have been arrested, including 7 presidential candidates.

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As the election approaches, the government has also stepped up the pressure against local journalists.

There too, arrests have multiplied while several foreign journalists have been prevented from entering the country.

How did President Daniel Ortega manage to gag the opposition and the press to such an extent?

Decryption with:

- Julien Dufrier

, doctoral student in Sociology at 

at Sorbonne Nouvelle University  

- Maya Collombon

, director of the

based in Mexico (attached to the CNRS).

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• Nicaragua

• Daniel ortega

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