FEARS of a Bolivia-style coup against the democratically elected government of Nicaragua have risen after US President Joe Biden signed into law the reactionary Renacer Act on Wednesday.

Deemed by critics “a declaration of war against the Nicaraguan people,” the legislation allows for increased sanctions and a trade embargo which could cripple the Central American country’s economy.

The bipartisan act was implemented just days after Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) won an overwhelming victory in Nicaragua’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

The results were instantly rejected by the US, the European Union and the Organisation of American States which called the polls “a sham,” accusing Mr Ortega of jailing political opponents.

The Nicaraguan authorities retort that jailed opposition figures face serious charges, including money-laundering, with one detainee previously calling for the assassination of the president.

Those held are also accused of complicity with the US, with State Department cables published by Wikileaks revealing how they have acted as informants as part of attempts to destabilise the country and overthrow the Sandinista government.

Washington has gone to great lengths to stop the truth about the Nicaraguan elections being reported and even used social media giants Facebook in a bid to swing the results.

Hundreds of accounts belonging to Sandinista-supporting journalists and activists were blocked the week prior to the poll, with leading media outlets finding their pages shut down.

Facebook made erroneous claims that they were part of a bot farm engaging in “inauthentic behaviour.”

Election observers have subsequently found their posts warning of US interference were blocked.

A report by MintPress News journalist Alan MacLeod reveals that the decisions were made by just two contributors: Luis Fernando Alonso and Ben Nimmo, both of whom have extensive links to Western military intelligence.

But Washington’s hopes that manipulation and sanctions will weaken support for the Sandinista government appear to be misplaced.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Mr Ortega on his victory while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the elections took place amid “unprecedented pressures” from the US which has launched a campaign to prevent recognition of the results.

“Only the people of Nicaragua have the right to decide on the legitimacy of the electoral processes in their country,” he said.

Mr Ortega won a fourth term of office with the Sandinista alliance securing 76 per cent of the cote on a 65 per cent turnout, according to the supreme election council.