Q COSTARICA — The election of Costa Rican diplomat Lina Ajoy as the new Secretary General of the Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA)—Central American Integration System , represents another setback for the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, which for months claimed the position as a supposed “right” of Nicaragua and even warned of possible consequences if its candidates continued to be rejected.
The decision is particularly significant for Nicaragua because it comes after an escalation of tensions between Nicaragua and several countries in the region over control of the SICA General Secretariat, a key body for Central American integration.
In recent weeks, the Ortega-Murillo regime went so far as to denounce an alleged “illegal blockade” against Nicaragua and increased political pressure on the region’s governments to support its candidates.
The regime’s threats even fueled speculation about Nicaragua’s potential withdrawal from the regional body, a possibility that would further isolate a government already facing accusations of human rights violations, international sanctions, and deteriorating relations with various democratic countries.
On Wednesday, Costa Rican diplomat Lina Ajoy was elected for the 2026-2030 term starting on August 9 2026, during an extraordinary virtual meeting of SICA heads of state and government, ending a prolonged vacancy that had persisted since November 2023, when Nicaraguan Werner Vargas, who held the position for the 2022-2026 term, resigned.
A blow to Ortega and Murillo’s aspirations
The election represents a diplomatic defeat for the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, which for months insisted that the SICA General Secretariat should remain in Nicaragua’s hands.
On May 26, the Nicaraguan government publicly claimed its supposed “right” to occupy the position and recalled that it had submitted three different lists, made up of nine candidates, to assume the leadership of the organization.
However, none of the proposals achieved consensus among the member countries.
At that time, Managua accused the other governments of maintaining an “unjustified, unjustifiable, illegal, and illegitimate blockade” against Nicaragua.
The selection of a candidate backed by Costa Rica also comes amid particularly strained relations between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
In recent months, both governments have exchanged criticisms regarding regional leadership, democracy, and compliance with commitments made within the SICA.
Although the regime has not officially announced a withdrawal from SICA, several analysts believe that the growing confrontation with other member states could lead Managua to further harden its stance toward the organization.
A potential withdrawal would represent a new episode of isolation for Nicaragua, which in recent years has also withdrawn from various international mechanisms or severed relations with organizations and countries that question its record on human rights and democracy.