Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua plans to scrap elections – what that says about today’s autocrats

Daniel Ortega is planning something rare even among today's autocrats: the complete elimination of elections in Nicaragua. The Conversation UK reports that he announced this while commemorating the 1979 revolution, and legal changes are already moving through the legislature. Unlike most modern authoritarian leaders who maintain a democratic facade through controlled elections, Ortega has instead turned increasingly to repression since crushing mass protests in 2018. The move reflects a troubling international trend—a growing brazenness among autocratic leaders who no longer feel compelled to maintain even the appearance of democracy.

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