Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega intensified his rhetoric against Israel on Monday, condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and comparing him to Adolf Hitler. During a nationally televised event marking the 45th anniversary of Nicaragua’s police force, Ortega called Netanyahu a “son of the devil” and accused him of carrying out a policy of terror in the Middle East, El Nacional reported.
“Yes, the prime minister of Israel is Hitler, there installed, calling to destroy the peoples,” Ortega said during his speech. His comments came in the context of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which has drawn widespread international attention and condemnation. Ortega also accused the United States and European Union of providing military support to Israel, saying their actions were leading the world toward “total war” or inevitable defeat.
In his speech, Ortega also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, labeling him a “son of Hitler” and accusing him of pushing NATO into conflict with Russia. “He is another Nazi... wanting to commit NATO to go to war against the Federation of Russia,” Ortega remarked, according to El Nacional, aligning himself further with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Nicaragua’s growing ties with Russia have been evident throughout Ortega’s presidency, with the Sandinista government maintaining strong relations with Moscow. Russia has long provided military support to Nicaragua, especially during the first Sandinista regime in the 1980s. Putin has referred to Nicaragua as a “very important” partner in Latin America, El Nacional reported.
Nicaragua broke diplomatic relations with Israel on October 11, 2023, following the escalation of hostilities in Gaza. The Nicaraguan government issued a statement, reported by El Nacional, condemning what it described as “continuous genocide, cruelty, extreme hatred, and extermination” carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people.
Western support for Israel to 'defeat the peoples'
Nicaragua’s National Assembly passed a resolution urging Ortega to sever ties with Israel, declaring the country an “enemy of humanity.” Ortega reinforced this stance in his speech, calling for an end to what he termed the “genocide” being committed against Palestinians and neighboring nations.
Ortega’s rhetoric underscores his opposition to Western involvement in global conflicts and his strong support for Palestine. He blamed Western powers for exacerbating the Middle East conflict, suggesting that their support for Israel was an attempt to “defeat the peoples,” El Nacional reported.
Ortega, who has been in power since 2007 after leading the country from 1979 to 1990, has increasingly positioned Nicaragua as an ally of Russia in global geopolitics. His government has maintained its staunch criticism of the US, EU, and NATO, with El Nacional emphasizing Ortega’s warnings of a looming global conflict driven by these international alliances.