Central America
EU, US widen Nicaragua sanctions as Ortega begins new term
AFP
Daniel Ortega was sworn in Monday as Nicaragua’s president for a fourth straight term as the EU and US tightened sanctions over impugned elections held in November with all his challengers in jail.
“Yes, I swear,” said strongman Ortega as he and his wife Rosario Murillo, who was re-elected vice-president, were sworn in at a ceremony attended by the presidents of Cuba and Venezuela and envoys from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and Syria, among others.
Even before the event got under way, the European Union announced fresh sanctions against individuals it accuses of “undermining democracy” and human rights abuses in Nicaragua, including Ortega’s daughter and a son — both working as presidential advisors.
Others sanctioned “in view of the worsening situation in Nicaragua” were senior officials of the country’s police force and electoral body, said the EU.
In Washington, the US Treasury placed sanctions on six regime officials, including two generals, the defense minister, the head of the Supreme Electoral Council and officials of the telecommunications regulator, who allegedly ran a social media troll farm to help Ortega.
Travel restrictions were imposed on 116 individuals tied to the regime, including mayors, prosecutors, security and university officials “complicit in undermining democracy,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
In his inaugural address, Ortega, 76, mocked the sanctions, calling them a “decoration” for Brenda Rocha, the electoral council head, who was one of the officials sanctioned.
He called the US measures “cowardly” and “cruel (…) not just to Nicaragua” but also to Cuba and Venezuela, which have also been subjected for years to “brutal sanctions” that he said must cease.
– Russia and China –
In the months leading up to the November 7 vote, Nicaraguan authorities detained nearly 40 opposition figures, including seven would-be presidential challengers, assuring victory for long-time ruler Ortega.
As the international community rained opprobrium and sanctions on Ortega, he sought to improve ties with economic giants China and Russia.
Managua switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, in return for which China reopened its embassy in the Central American nation and donated thousands of coronavirus vaccines.
Moscow, in response to outreach from Managua, provided the country with wheat, vaccines, even buses for public transport.
A firebrand Marxist in his youth, Ortega ruled Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, after leading a guerrilla army that ousted US-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza.
Returning to power in 2007, he has won re-election three times, becoming increasingly dictatorial and quashing presidential term limits.
Ortega, with Murillo on his ticket, garnered 75 percent of the vote in November.
The election took place without independent international observers and with most foreign media denied access to the country.
The Nicaraguan parliament is dominated by Ortega allies, who also control the judiciary and electoral bodies.
Days before the election, Facebook announced it had closed a Nicaraguan government troll farm spreading anti-opposition messages.
Besides Rocha, the head of the Supreme Electoral Council, the European Union also imposed sanctions on the council’s deputy head and a senior official who was acting chief in 2018.
The country’s telecoms enterprise was also listed for its bid “to silence independent media” and spread “disinformation.”
– ‘Sham’ –
US President Joe Biden has slammed the vote as a “sham” and the Washington-based Organization of American States (OAS) said it was “not free, just or transparent.”
As sanctions were almost immediately announced by the US, EU, Canada, and Britain, Russia attacked the West for not recognizing the results.
“We consider this unacceptable and we strongly condemn such a stance,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in November.
The US State Department says Ortega’s regime continues to hold 170 political prisoners.
They include some 120 people who participated in anti-government protests in 2018 that were brutally repressed, causing more than 300 deaths and sending more than 100,000 people into exile, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Ortega insists the jailed are criminals and “terrorists” seeking to overthrow him with help from the United States.
Dozens of Nicaraguan exiles protested in neighboring Costa Rica on Sunday against Ortega’s inauguration.
The protest came on the same day that Nicaragua’s new parliament, also elected in November and dominated by Ortega’s left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front, was officially opened.
Central America
EU Urges Nicaragua to Hold Free and Transparent Elections Amid Proposed Electoral Reforms
The European Union on Saturday called on Nicaragua to hold elections “in accordance with international standards” after the country’s co-president, Daniel Ortega, promoted electoral reforms that critics say would prevent opposition groups from participating in future elections.
Nicaragua’s National Assembly, which is controlled by allies of President Ortega and Co-President Rosario Murillo, announced on Wednesday that it would draft a package of constitutional and electoral reforms to be voted on in August. Legislative President Gustavo Porras said the changes are intended to prevent what he described as the “terrible manipulation by empires and their lackeys” in the country’s electoral process, referring to opposition groups.
In a statement issued on behalf of the European Union’s 27 member states, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas urged the Nicaraguan authorities to preserve democratic principles.
“We call on the authorities to convene elections and ensure that they are held as originally scheduled and conducted in a transparent, inclusive, and credible manner, in accordance with international standards,” Kallas said.
The European Union also reiterated its condemnation of what it described as the Nicaraguan government’s “systemic repression.” Kallas called for dialogue between Ortega’s administration and opposition groups before any electoral reforms are implemented.
Ortega, who has been in power for nearly two decades, has faced repeated criticism from the international community over restrictions on political opponents and civil liberties.
In response to the growing international criticism, the Nicaraguan government announced on Friday that it will brief foreign diplomats on the proposed reforms, seeking to explain the objectives and scope of the legislative package before it is debated in Congress next month.
Central America
Honduras Warns of Possible New Dengue Epidemic as Cases Continue to Rise
Honduras could be on the verge of a new dengue epidemic, according to physician and Honduran lawmaker Carlos Umaña, who warned about the sustained increase in cases across the country.
“We are on the verge of a new dengue epidemic because cases have been rising steadily,” Umaña said, urging citizens to take preventive measures. “Let’s eliminate breeding sites so we do not face fatal consequences later,” he added.
According to official data cited by Honduran media, the country had recorded 5,780 dengue cases nationwide through epidemiological week 26, covering the period from June 28 to July 4.
Of that total, 1,362 patients developed dengue with warning signs, while at least 100 cases progressed to severe dengue, increasing pressure on the national healthcare system.
Although current figures represent a decline of nearly 39% compared with the same period in 2025, when more than 9,400 cases had been reported, health authorities continue monitoring the situation due to the risk of a new surge.
Umaña warned that if the spread of the virus is not contained, Honduras could face an increase in fatalities, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents.
Health officials continue urging the population to remove mosquito breeding sites and strengthen prevention measures to reduce transmission of the disease.
Central America
CDC Issues Level 2 Travel Alert for Costa Rica Amid Chikungunya Outbreak
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 travel notice for Costa Rica following an outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease, urging U.S. travelers to “take additional precautions”when visiting the country.
On July 1, 2026, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health declared an active chikungunya outbreak after confirming four casesand classifying 17 additional infections as probable among Costa Rican citizens and foreign nationals.
So far in 2026, Costa Rica has reported a total of 16 confirmed cases, including those linked to the current outbreak.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms usually appear three to seven days after a bite and may include high fever, severe joint and muscle pain, headaches, swelling, and skin rashes.
Although most people recover within about a week, some patients may experience persistent joint pain that can last for months or even years.
According to the CDC, there are currently no specific medications to treat chikungunya, but rest, adequate fluid intake, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help reduce symptoms.
The agency recommends that travelers visiting areas affected by chikungunya outbreaks consider vaccination as a preventive measure.
The CDC also warned that certain groups face a higher risk of developing severe illness, including newborns infected during birth, adults aged 65 and older, and people with underlying conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
While chikungunya can cause significant health complications, the infection rarely results in death, health authorities said.
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