NICARAGUA has demanded an end to “all illegal and coercive measures,” including US sanctions, as it warned of a dirty tricks campaign ahead of November’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

“An unprecedented and relentless attack is unfolding against Nicaragua’s government and people driven by false narratives advanced by right-wing, US-financed media outlets and ‘opposition’ figures,” the Sandinista government warned in a statement.

A number of Western media reports accuse the Nicaraguan authorities of detaining opposition figures, a narrative that critics say is part of a broader attempt to discredit the government and sow discord in the run-up to the elections.