WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th December, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Nicaragua's leader Daniel Ortega of undermining democracy by approving controversial legislation ahead of the elections and warned of further consequences unless the course is changed.
"For the good of the Nicaraguan people, we once again call on Ortega to change course, respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and allow free and fair elections. If not, the United States will not hesitate to impose further consequences," Pompeo said in a statement on Thursday.
He attacked a law that was approved earlier this week by the Nicaraguan authorities and, according to Pompeo, could "effectively prohibit Nicaraguans who stand for democracy from running for office in next year's elections."
"Implementation of it will further undermine democratic institutions and processes by prohibiting opposition figures from standing for election, threatening to turn the 2021 elections into an "election" in name only," Pompeo said. "These actions follow the National Assembly's passage of a Foreign Agents Law that sabotages Nicaraguans' ability to seek democratic change, and a Cybercrimes Law that systematically represses free speech."
He promised that the United States will not tolerate "these threats to Nicaragua's democracy."
