Why is Daniel Ortega Shutting Nicaragua’s Opposition Out of Elections?

Nicaragua approved a constitutional reform that bars the opposition from participating in elections and extends Daniel Ortega’s term in office, a measure aimed at securing a presidential succession within the family of the octogenarian former guerrilla leader. Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, tightened their grip further by pushing through the amendment, which closes the door to a political transition after two decades of rule marked by the concentration of power and harsh repression. What was approved? The National Assembly, controlled by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), voted Tuesday to prohibit “traitors to the homeland,” people linked...