Editing Daniel Ortega (section)

===Response to the COVID-19 pandemic===
{{Main|COVID-19 pandemic in Nicaragua}}

President Ortega's government has been the target of criticism for its lack of a response to the pandemic.<ref name=CNN-4-13-2020>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/world/nicaragua-president-ortega-intl/index.html|title=Nicaragua's president Daniel Ortega hasn't been seen in a month|first=Natalie|last=Gallón|publisher=CNN|access-date=14 April 2020|archive-date=14 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414013731/https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/world/nicaragua-president-ortega-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 14 March 2020, Ortega's government called a massive demonstration called "Love in the Time of COVID-19" as a show of support to him and his government. This occurred in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic which had only recently been officially declared by the [[World Health Organization|WHO]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/world/americas/coronavirus-nicaragua-burials.html|title=Resisting Lockdown, Nicaragua Becomes a Place of Midnight Burials|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1 June 2020|access-date=3 August 2021|last1=Bermúdez|first1=Alfonso Flores|last2=Robles|first2=Frances|archive-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803202638/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/world/americas/coronavirus-nicaragua-burials.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/10/nicaragua-reckless-covid-19-response|title=Nicaragua: Reckless COVID-19 Response|publisher=Human Rights Watch|date=10 April 2020|access-date=3 August 2021|archive-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803202638/https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/10/nicaragua-reckless-covid-19-response|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to [[CNN]], as of mid-June 2020, Ortega had "refused to impose strict, preventive quarantine measures seen in neighboring countries" to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="Gallón-cnn-18-6-20"/> "Public schools remain open, businesses continue to operate, festivals and cultural events are happening on an almost-weekly basis." The story stated that from mid-March to mid-June six politicians had died, and, according to witnesses, their remains disposed of at night in "express burials" (with police in attendance but "no Mass, no wake and no funeral arrangements", no photographs).<ref name="Gallón-cnn-18-6-20"/> The Ortega government said reports of "express burials" were "false news".<ref name="Gallón-cnn-18-6-20">{{cite news |last1=Gallón |first1=Natalie |title='There are two realities.' What is really happening in Nicaragua during the pandemic? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/americas/nicaragua-coronavirus-ortega-mystery-intl/index.html |access-date=13 July 2020 |publisher=CNN |date=18 June 2020 |archive-date=13 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713151327/https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/americas/nicaragua-coronavirus-ortega-mystery-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to AP News "the government threatened to ban" professional baseball players "who refuse to play baseball ... And everyone is warned to keep quiet."<ref name="AP">{{cite news |title=During pandemic, Nicaraguan doctors face political pressure |url=https://apnews.com/49ef7f8e763ad53f8555015581cf9b37 |access-date=13 July 2020 |publisher=Associated Press |date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=14 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714002214/https://apnews.com/49ef7f8e763ad53f8555015581cf9b37 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In hospitals "ruling-party activists ensure no information leaks out", and it quotes a doctor (anesthesiologist María Nela Escoto) complaining that in the public hospital where she works "everything is secret. They don't allow suggestions, and you can't question anything because they're watching. It's a very hostile environment."<ref name="AP"/>
(At the start of the pandemic, Ortega was out of the public eye for "more than 40 days", and no explanation was given for his absence when he returned.)<ref name="Gallón-cnn-18-6-20"/><ref name=CNN-4-13-2020/>