Nicaragua: Provisional result indicates victory for Ortega in presidential election

The Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) of Nicaragua announced this Monday (8) the provisional results of the questioned presidential elections held on Sunday (7) in the country.

According to the official organ, the Unidad Nicaragua Triunfa Alliance, led by the Sandinista National Front, leads the results with more than 70% of the votes.

Nicaragua voted in elections that were questioned and described as “a parody” by international observers.

The CSE did not inform the number of votes counted so far, but released the following data:

• Total of voted ballot boxes: 49.25%
• Sandinista Front Alliance: 74.99%
• Constitutionalist Liberal Party: 14.40%
• Christian Way: 3.44%

The CSE informed that it will present a second report on the results of the elections this Monday starting at 1 pm (4 pm in Brasília).

In these elections, the president and vice president, 90 deputies from the National Assembly and 20 deputies from the Central American Parliament will be chosen.

President Daniel Ortega is seeking his third re-election and fourth consecutive term. Another five parties launched presidential candidacies.

The current government is criticized for the arrest of opposition leaders. Furthermore, the electoral process is questioned by the United States, the European Union, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations for considering that there are no conditions for fair, democratic and well observed elections.

It was also marked by the cancellation of three political parties that would form part of the opposition National Coalition and Citizen Alliance, as well as the arrest of 39 opposition leaders between May 28 and October 21 – seven of them aspiring to the presidency.

(Translated text; read the original in Spanish)