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Ortega spoke on Sunday at the anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution that toppled the Somoza dictatorship in 1979 and first brought him to power. He returned to the presidency in 2007 and has since rewritten the constitution, crushed political opposition and solidified his control over virtually all branches of the Nicaraguan government.

Since mass protests in 2018, which led to a bloody government crackdown that killed hundreds, Ortega and his wife and co-President Rosario Murillo have been holding on to power.

Ortega declared himself the winner of the 2021 election " a vote widely viewed as illegitimate by the international community " after jailing all the candidates who could have possibly beaten him. The U.S. does not recognize Ortega's presidency.