Op-ed Beyond Sovereignty: Nicaragua’s Break with Global Institutions

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega and his wife and Vice President Rosario Murillo attend a rally in Managua, Nicaragua, Sept. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga, File)

Nicaragua is pulling back from the international stage, cutting ties with several global institutions as pressure mounts over human rights abuses. President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo recently announced the country’s withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the International Labour Organization (ILO) — all of which have scrutinized the government’s repression of political opposition and civil liberties.

A United Nations report warns that Ortega and Murillo have "dismantled the last remaining checks on their power," turning Nicaragua into an authoritarian state. The UN Human Rights Office accuses the government of crimes against humanity, including politically motivated persecution, mass arbitrary detentions, and stripping dissenters of their citizenship. While the Nicaraguan government portrays its withdrawals as a "sovereign and irrevocable" stand against foreign interference, critics see it as an attempt to escape accountability.

The 2018 Protests and Crackdown

The roots of Nicaragua’s current repression trace back to April 2018, when nationwide protests erupted over unpopular pension reforms. What began as opposition to social security cuts quickly became a broader movement against government corruption and authoritarianism.

According to Human Rights Watch, state security forces responded with excessive force, using rubber bullets, tear gas, and brutal beatings against demonstrators. Media outlets were also targeted, with pro-government mobs attacking journalists and shutting down news stations.

On April 18, 2018, pro-Ortega groups assaulted an Associated Press photographer with a steel pipe while police stood by. The next day, riot police shot student Roberto Rizo Valdivia in the face with a rubber bullet, causing him to lose an eye. Between April 18 and April 25, the Nicaraguan Red Cross assisted 435 injured people, 242 requiring hospitalization. At least 26 people died in the first week alone, with some estimates placing the number as high as 63.

Despite international condemnation, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) was blocked from investigating the abuses.

A Government Without Checks and Balances

Since 2018, Ortega has tightened his grip on power, systematically dismantling institutional opposition. The 2025 UN Human Rights Office report warns that Nicaragua has become a one-party state where opposition figures face imprisonment, exile, or forced silence.

The report highlights a constitutional reform in February 2025 that granted Murillo equal power alongside Ortega as "co-president." It also reduced judicial, legislative, and electoral bodies to institutions controlled by the presidency, effectively eliminating independent political parties. Additionally, the report implicates the Nicaraguan military in the 2018 massacre, contradicting the government’s previous denials.

Reed Brody, a member of the UN expert commission on Nicaragua, told ‘Democracy Now!’ that "Nicaragua has become a country of enforced silence and surveillance for those who stay, while those who dare to speak out face a life of exile and denationalization."

Cutting Ties with International Oversight

Nicaragua’s exit from the UNHRC, IOM, and ILO is part of a broader strategy to reject international scrutiny. According to FirstPost, Murillo justified the move by claiming these organizations "no longer fulfill the mission for which they were created." Earlier, Nicaragua also withdrew from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) after a report highlighted rising famine in the country.

Critics argue that Ortega is systematically severing ties with organizations that hold his regime accountable. "Serious human rights violations have been and continue to be committed in Nicaragua, requiring urgent global action," said Jan-Michael Simon, chair of the UN Expert Commission on Nicaragua.

International Response

Reactions to Nicaragua’s moves have been mixed. Ecuador, Brazil, Canada, and Argentina condemned the decision, calling it an "alarming sign of isolation" and an attempt to evade responsibility. Venezuela, however, defended Nicaragua, accusing the UNHRC of "double standards."

The UN Human Rights Office has called for legal proceedings against Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and expanded targeted sanctions. "The international community must not simply bear witness but take concrete measures to hold the government accountable," said UN expert Reed Brody.

What’s Next for Nicaragua?

As Nicaragua distances itself from global institutions, it risks further international isolation. Sanctions and the loss of foreign investment could deepen economic struggles. Without external oversight, repression may escalate, and human rights violations could intensify. Additionally, the country may face trade restrictions, worsening its diplomatic fallout.

With Nicaragua severing ties to international accountability mechanisms, the world faces a pressing question: Will the international community intervene decisively, or will the Ortega-Murillo regime continue its unchecked descent into dictatorship?