Nicaragua’s government announced that it will withdraw from the Organisation of American States, a regional body that has accused President Daniel Ortega’s government of acts of repression and rigging this month’s election.

Nicaragua foreign minister Denis Moncada said in a news conference that he sent an “official communication” to OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro citing the body’s “repeated acts of meddling” in Nicaragua.

Mr Ortega was elected to a fourth consecutive term in November 7 elections that were broadly criticised as a farce.

Seven likely challengers to Mr Ortega were arrested and jailed in the months prior to the election.

The OAS General Assembly last week voted to condemn the elections, saying they “were not free, fair or transparent, and lack democratic legitimacy”.

Twenty-five countries in the Americas voted in favour of the resolution, while seven, including Mexico, abstained.

Only Nicaragua voted against it.