U.S. House Passes Additional Sanctions Bill Against Nicaragua Dictatorship

Daniel Ortega, President of Nicaragua (Photo by Reuters)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] On the 3rd (local time), the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed an additional sanctions bill against the dictatorial regime of Nicaragua in Central America ahead of the presidential election.

According to major foreign media, the U.S. House passed the additional sanctions bill against the Nicaraguan dictatorial regime, proposed by Senator Bob Menendez, with an overwhelming vote of 387 in favor and 35 against.

This bill includes sanctions on corruption allegations and human rights violations by officials of the Daniel Ortega regime, as well as provisions for supplying military goods to U.S. troops stationed in Nicaragua.

The bill, which previously passed the Senate, will take effect after being signed by U.S. President Joe Biden.

In Nicaragua, where the presidential election is scheduled for the 7th, President Ortega, who is seeking a fifth term, has continuously suppressed the opposition, gagged independent media, and controlled public opinion.

Ortega, who has been in long-term power from 1985 to 1990 and since 2007, is attempting his fifth overall term and fourth consecutive term.

Ahead of the election, the Ortega government has arrested more than 30 opposition figures, including seven leading presidential candidates, since June. Currently, only Ortega and five minor right-wing candidates remain in the presidential race.

The international community, including the United States, has been pouring criticism of the election as a "fake election" and "fraudulent election" even before it takes place.

Earlier, Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said on the 14th of last month, "The undemocratic and authoritarian actions taken by the Ortega regime out of fear of losing the election have undermined expectations for a fair election."

The European Union (EU) is also considering additional sanctions against the regime if President Ortega is elected in this election.

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, criticized the Nicaraguan election as a "fake election organized by a dictatorial regime."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.