On November 29, 2024, Nicaragua's National Assembly, dominated by the ruling Sandinista Front, passed a package of constitutional amendments aimed at consolidating the power of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, now designated as 'co-presidents.' The reforms were approved in a single session without debate, significantly extending state control over the press and security forces.
The amendments effectively place all other branches of government and autonomous entities under the Executive's authority. According to Sandinista Assembly President Gustavo Porras, the reforms 'modernize' a constitution that has been amended 12 times since its inception in 1987.
Despite being labeled as 'partial' reforms by Ortega, the changes are substantial, eliminating 148 of the 198 articles in the original document. Historian Dora María Téllez, a former Sandinista guerrilla now in exile, criticized the reforms for legalizing the 'absolute power' claimed by Ortega and Murillo, further entrenching a repressive system established since 2018.
Téllez noted that the designation of 'co-presidents' addresses presidential succession issues, allowing Rosario Murillo to assume total power in Nicaragua when Ortega is no longer in office, without the need for an election. The reforms also allow the co-presidents to appoint vice-presidents, paving the way for the couple's children to enter the line of succession.
The package, which is set for final approval in January 2025, extends the terms of both co-presidents and the 91 National Assembly deputies from five to six years, all of whom are aligned with the ruling party.
International responses to the reforms have been swift. The United Nations Human Rights Experts Group for Nicaragua warned of the detrimental consequences for fundamental rights, stating that the amendments grant 'unlimited power' to Ortega and Murillo.
The Organization of American States (OAS) condemned the reforms, asserting that Ortega and his allies are attempting to increase their absolute control over the state. In November 2023, Nicaragua had withdrawn from the OAS, accusing it of interference.
In response to the backlash, Porras claimed that 'only the people have power in Nicaragua,' dismissing the criticisms as misguided opposition. Exiled former judicial official Yader Morazán described the reforms as 'deep and total,' arguing that such significant changes should have required a Constituent Assembly.
Additionally, on November 25, the Assembly unanimously approved a law aimed at protecting Nicaraguans affected by foreign sanctions, primarily targeting government officials and their families, including Ortega and Murillo. This law seeks to nullify the impact of sanctions within Nicaragua, imposing penalties on banks and institutions that comply with them.
Humanitarian organizations report that hundreds of Nicaraguans critical of the government have been stripped of their nationality or barred from entering the country, leaving them in a state of limbo.