Biden bans Ortega and Nicaraguan officials from entering the United States

President Joe Biden on Tuesday banned members of the Nicaraguan government, including President Daniel Ortega, from entering the Unites States. The decision comes after Washington denounced the recent Nicaraguan elections as having been rigged.

Biden’s travel ban applied to Nicaragua’s elected officials, including Ortega’s wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, members of the country’s security force, judges, mayors and others who were deemed to be undermining democracy in the Central American country.

"The repressive and abusive acts of the Ortega government and those who support it compel the United States to act," said Biden.

According to the Biden administration, this measure shows how the U.S. is willing to support those Nicaraguans that want a democratic country.

Biden’s decree came days after the United States, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on Nicaraguan officials in response to the country’s sham presidential elections on November 7.

On that day, Ortega was elected  president of Nicaragua for the fourth consecutive time. However, his re-election was assured, as most of his opposition was sent to jail and the government cracked down on the media.

The results of the election were rejected by the Organization of  American States (OAS) because they were not democratic. Twenty-five countries voted in favor of the OAS resolution and seven nations abstained. The resolution stated that the elections were "not free, fair or transparent and lack democratic legitimacy."

Ortega called his critics “Yankee imperialists,” and accused them of undermining the electoral process in Nicaragua.

Biden’s proclamation said Nicaragua’s security forces "abuse persons to further the Ortega government's authoritarian agenda" and that the abuse was directed towards those who wanted democracy in the country.

The Biden administration has said that Nicaragua should expect more sanctions and that the U.S. will increase its pressure on the Ortega regime.