The United States has said it will work through a regional body to isolate Nicaragua’s government, sharpening a long running dispute with President Daniel Ortega over the state of democracy and human rights in the Central American country. The shift points to a more coordinated diplomatic push after years of largely unilateral sanctions.
Washington has accused Managua of dismantling political opposition, jailing critics and stripping opponents of their citizenship. By routing pressure through a regional grouping, US officials hope to widen the coalition willing to challenge Ortega and to counter the argument that the standoff is simply a bilateral quarrel.
Nicaragua has rejected outside criticism as interference in its internal affairs and has drawn closer to a bloc of governments at odds with Washington. Officials in Managua have dismissed earlier sanctions as illegitimate and shown little sign of reversing the measures that drew condemnation.
Analysts say the effectiveness of a regional approach will depend on how many governments sign on. Some in the region are wary of setting precedents for intervention, while others share concerns about the erosion of democratic norms. For ordinary Nicaraguans, the manoeuvring adds to a backdrop of emigration, a strained economy and shrinking civic space.
