The Organization of American States (OAS) will hold its 31st Consultation Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs this Friday to examine the political crisis in Nicaragua, according to the official notice published by the organization.
The call was approved on September 23 by the Permanent Council of the OAS, led by Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, the United States, and Peru. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 AM EDT (3:00 PM GMT) in the Hall of the Americas at the organization's headquarters in Washington D.C. The meeting will be broadcast live with interpretation in Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese.
The immediate trigger is the constitutional reform that the Nicaraguan Congress approved in its first vote on September 1, as reported by Reuters. The measure pushed by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo prohibits opposition participation in elections, extends the presidential term from six to seven years, and eliminates the elections scheduled for November, postponing them until 2028.
The reform includes broad clauses to veto the nominations of individuals accused of participating in a "coup d'état," inciting "foreign interference," or supporting sanctions against the State. A second vote in the National Assembly, scheduled for January 18, 2027, is required for it to take effect.
The closure of the electoral space adds to a pattern of repression sustained for years. Human Rights Watch documented at least 87 political prisoners in Nicaragua in 2026 and six deaths in custody since 2019.
The regime has closed more than 5,600 non-governmental organizations, shut down at least 58 media outlets, and denationalized over 450 individuals since 2018. A UN report from September 2026 documented dozens of enforced disappearances and at least eight deaths of detainees since that same year.
The Trump administration has increased pressure on Managua throughout 2026. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the regime as "an enemy of humanity" in June, and in July, warned that the United States would not remain idle in the face of the announcement that Nicaragua would not hold elections again.
Washington also held Ortega and Murillo responsible for the death of the indigenous opposition member Brooklyn Rivera, who passed away in custody on May 30, 2026.
In April, the U.S. sanctioned the children of the ruling couple and seven mining companies linked to the regime. In June, it imposed visa restrictions on more than 100 additional officials, bringing the total number of sanctioned individuals under the Trump administration to over 2,350 people.
The Ortega-Murillo regime maintains a close political alliance with the Cuban government.
Just three days before the OAS meeting, Nicaragua reaffirmed at the UN General Assembly its "firm and resolute solidarity with the heroic Cuban people" and expressed support for Cuba, China, and Russia. Both regimes coordinate positions in multilateral forums and share a narrative of rejecting international pressure.
Nicaragua withdrew from the OAS in 2023 and does not recognize the authority of the organization, so the meeting on Friday will be held without the participation of Managua.
In June 2026, the 56th General Assembly of the OAS in Panama had already approved by consensus a resolution that condemned human rights violations in Nicaragua and called for the restoration of democracy and the release of political prisoners.
Related videos:
Filed under: