The United States plans to utilize the Organization of American States (OAS) to isolate the Nicaraguan government following recent constitutional changes that have restricted political opposition. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this strategy in a statement on Wednesday, asserting that Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and co-President Rosario Murillo are undermining democracy, which he claims poses a threat to stability and prosperity in the region.
Rubio indicated that the US would call for an end to 'business as usual' with Nicaragua during an upcoming OAS meeting. This announcement follows the passage of a constitutional reform package by Nicaraguan lawmakers on Tuesday, which bans most opposition parties from participating in elections and extends the presidential term from six to seven years. This reform has faced criticism from the US and other regional nations.
Last month, the OAS convened a meeting to discuss the situation in Nicaragua, labeling it 'a problem of an urgent nature and of common interest to the American States.' Nicaragua had previously withdrawn from the OAS in 2022 after the organization criticized its human rights record. At that time, Nicaragua’s foreign minister described the withdrawal as a move away from 'deceitful mechanisms' of the OAS, with the withdrawal fully effective in 2023.
The OAS, established in 1948 with US support, aims to promote international cooperation in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela began its withdrawal from the OAS in 2017, following criticism of its government’s response to political unrest. In July, Nicaragua's Ortega government proposed a constitutional reform package aimed at excluding opposition members from elections and extending the presidential term, stating that it would dissolve political parties receiving foreign funding.
Ortega, who has been in power in various capacities since the 1980s, remarked that there would be no further elections for opposition members to attempt to seize power. His government has faced significant criticism for its crackdown on dissent, which has resulted in over 300 deaths during protests in 2018 and the jailing of political opponents and journalists, with many forced into exile, including at least 200 who settled in the US.