Nicaragua said on Saturday that it would withdraw from the Central American Parliament, pulling out of one of the region’s main political bodies as President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, consolidate power.
The Foreign Ministry announced the exit from the six-country body, which was established by a 1987 treaty, according to Mezha, to promote human rights and democracy in Central America. The parliament, known as Parlacen, is the region’s assembly for Central American integration and has been based in Guatemala City since 1991.
The announcement came a day after the Organization of American States demanded free elections and the release of prisoners in Nicaragua, according to the Rio Times. It deepens the country’s isolation in Latin America, where its government stands accused of rampant human rights abuses.
In July, Mr. Ortega’s government announced that Nicaragua would no longer hold elections, according to The Associated Press. Mr. Ortega has held power continuously since 2007, after an earlier presidency in the 1980s.