The Citizens for Liberty coalition registered Oscar Sobalvarro, a former commander in the US-backed rebellion against the left-wing Sandinista government during the 1980s, on Monday. International human rights groups accused the right-wing rebel group at the time of carrying out a slew of abuses, including executions, torture, mutilations, rape and kidnappings.

The conservative coalition has nominated Berenice Quezada, who was crowned Miss Nicaragua in 2017, to stand for vice-president. Mr Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, are the the Sandinista party’s nominations for president and vice-president. Corporate media reports have accused Mr Ortega’s government of preventing right-wing parties from standing at the election.

However Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group executive committee member Francisco Dominguez said that the very fact that Mr Sobalvarro and the Citizens for Liberty are able to run for election is “a confirmation of the nature of the political democracy that exists in Nicaragua.“A former right-wing guerrilla commander has had no problem registering to stand for president. “There are sections of the Nicaraguan right who seem to be doing everything possible to sabotage, to complicate or to obstruct the election process.“The Nicaraguan people don’t want any interference in their affairs. They want to have their elections in peace, so that whatever problems they may have can be solved democratically,” Mr Dominguez said.

The ongoing election campaign in Nicaragua has drawn the attention of the western countries in Europe. The European Union has imposed sanctions on eight officials of the present Nicaraguan government including Ortega’s wife who is the current vice president. The reason mentioned is that the Government is abusing powers by not allowing the opposition to campaign which has been refuted by the Sandinistas leaders.

The Council of the EU said Monday’s sanctions bring to 14 the number of Nicaraguans now blacklisted by the bloc, held “responsible for serious human rights violations in Nicaragua and/or whose actions undermined democracy or the rule of law”. The curbs prohibit travel and transit in the EU for those targeted, a freeze on any EU-based assets and a ban on EU businesses or citizens from doing business with them. One of Ortega’s sons was also sanctioned. “The political situation in Nicaragua has further deteriorated in recent months,” the council said in a statement. “The political use of the judicial system, the exclusion of candidates from the elections and the arbitrary delisting of opposition parties are contrary to basic democratic principles and constitute a serious violation of the rights of the Nicaraguan people.”

The Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) headed by Ortega confirmed on Monday afternoon that the 75-year-old would seek a fourth consecutive presidential term in the November 7 contest, with Murillo again his running mate. But western observers have questioned how free the elections will be, as over the past weeks police have arrested and detained more than 20 opposition figures and several candidates who might have been able to challenge Ortega. Seven opposition presidential hopefuls are among those detained.

The crackdown has prompted condemnation from rights groups and international observers, but Ortega has justified the arrests by saying his administration was prosecuting criminals who were plotting a coup against him. Most have been arrested under a controversial law approved by parliament in December that was widely criticised as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents.

The United States has also imposed sanctions and visa curbs on Nicaraguan officials amid the arrests, while the Organization of American States (OAS) urged Ortega’s government to release all those detained and ensure that free and fair elections can be held. Monday also marks the final day for presidential candidates to register to run in the November 7 election.

Last week, Nicaragua’s main opposition alliance, the Citizens Alliance for Liberty (CXL) named a former right-wing fighter and a beauty queen as its candidates to take on Ortega. Oscar Sobalvarro, 68, said he did not expect the nomination but insisted that he would “take on the baton” from those detained, a move he said “is neither easy nor free from risks”. His running mate is 27-year-old Berenice Quezada, the 2017 Miss Nicaragua. The confrontation between Ortega led Sandinistas and his right wing rivals, is expected to intensify in the coming weeks. (IPA Service)