Nicaragua Formally Withdraws from OAS, US Labels Move 'Step Away from Democracy'

Despite the withdrawal, the OAS vows to continue monitoring Nicaragua's human rights record, as Ortega's administration faces accusations of suppressing dissent.

• Nicaragua formally withdrew from the Organization of American States (OAS), a move the U.S. State Department has labeled as 'another step away from democracy'.
• Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, initiated the two-year withdrawal process in November 2021, following criticism from the OAS over rights violations.
• The OAS has pledged to continue monitoring Nicaragua's democracy and human rights record, despite the country's departure from the group.
• Ortega's administration has been accused of suppressing critical voices, particularly following street protests in 2018 that resulted in the deaths of some 355 people.
• The last country to leave the OAS was Venezuela in 2019.

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Washington Post Associated Press United States Department of State