Nicaragua’s President Ortega Offers Support to Venezuela’s Maduro Amid Political Turmoil

Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega has extended an offer to send “Sandinista fighters” to support Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the face of potential armed opposition following the country’s disputed presidential election in July, CNN reports.

Maduro has faced increasing scrutiny since declaring victory in the election, which has been met with widespread skepticism both domestically and internationally. The election-related unrest has led to protests and political violence, claiming at least 24 lives of civilians and one soldier. In response, the Venezuelan government’s security forces have detained some 2,000 people believed to be opposition supporters.

During the summit, Ortega assured Maduro that if an “armed counterrevolution” were to occur, his government would provide support.

“If battle were to come, they will have Sandinista fighters accompanying them,” he said.

In Nicaragua, the term “Sandinista” typically refers to members of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), a left-wing political movement that came to power following the Nicaraguan Revolution in the late 1970s. Ortega himself is a leader of the FSLN.

However, Ortega did not clarify whether the support would come in the form of law enforcement, military personnel, or pro-government armed groups, which human rights organizations have accused of conducting crackdowns alongside Nicaraguan police — a claim Ortega denies.

Ortega also denounced several Latin American leaders, including Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, for not recognizing Maduro’s victory in what would be his third consecutive six-year term. Ortega condemned Lula’s stance, calling it “shameful” and accused him of bowing to the demands of the United States. He expressed similar sentiments regarding Petro’s position.

In response, Petro defended himself on X.

“At least I do not drag down the human rights of the people of my country, much less those of my comrades in arms and those fighting against dictatorships,” he said.

According to Venezuela’s electoral council, which is aligned with the ruling party, Maduro secured reelection with just over 50% of the vote. However, this assertion has been questioned by the opposition coalition as well as electoral observers from the United Nations and the Carter Center, who have called for more transparency regarding the election results. The US, the EU, and various international organizations have urged Venezuela to release detailed electoral data.

In an effort to contest the official results, Venezuela’s opposition has published over 80% of tallies collected from voting machines across the country, totaling some 25,000 documents.