After the arrest of seven potential candidates for the presidential election scheduled for November 7 in Nicaragua, the ousting of the main opposition Citizens for Freedom (CxL) is the straw too much for the United States.

This election "has lost all credibility," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, August 7, denouncing the "autocratic" maneuvers of President Daniel Ortega to oust his political opponents.

"The United States regards the latest undemocratic, authoritarian actions - inspired by Ortega's fear of electoral defeat - as the final blow to the prospects of a free and fair election in Nicaragua," he said. he said in a statement.

The president, who is running for a fourth consecutive term, is accused of wiping out his competitors in the run-up to the presidential election.

Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice-president Rosario Murillo now have no serious candidate in front of them for the November 7 election.

"The decision of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo to ban the last real opposition party from participating in the November elections underlines their desire to remain in power at all costs," Blinken stressed.

Dual citizenship of Carmella Rogers Amburn reproached

Eliminated Friday, the opposition CxL party was criticized for the fact that its president, Carmella Rogers Amburn, better known in politics as Kitty Monterrey, has dual American and Nicaraguan nationality.

She has had her Nicaraguan citizenship revoked, which puts her at risk of deportation.

Previously, 31 opponents - including seven pre-candidates - were arrested under laws adopted at the end of 2020. The arrested pre-candidates - described by Mr. Ortega as "terrorists" and "mercenaries" in the service of Washington - had been arrested. agreed to undergo a selection process to be able to compete under the colors of the CxL.

Unsurprisingly, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN, ruling party) unanimously approved Daniel Ortega's candidacy on Monday.

His wife was also nominated as a candidate for a second term for the vice-presidency of this country of 6.5 million inhabitants.

With AFP

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