In a controversial move that further consolidates his control over the State, Daniel Ortegadictator of Nicaraguapromoted a constitutional reform that extends presidential terms from five to six years and officially establishes the position of “co-president”, performed by his wife and current vice president, Rosario Murillo.
The modifications reinforce the dominance of the Sandinista regime over the institutions of the country and already generate criticism both nationally and internationally.
The reform, approved by a National Assembly dominated by the ruling party, significantly expands the powers of the Executive by granting it the ability to directly coordinate the three powers of the State: the Legislative, the Judicial and the Electoral.
According to the text, the president has the function of “articulate and supervise” the actions of these bodies, a measure that, according to experts, annuls any separation of powers and confirms the concentration of authority in the hands of Ortega and Murillo.
In addition to changes in the power structure, reforms include symbolic and political provisions that underline the ideology of the regime.
One of them is the incorporation of the red-and-black flag of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) as a national symbol, which, according to analysts, seeks to perpetuate the link between national identity and the ruling party.
Another notable measure is the reaffirmation of Nicaragua’s historic claim against the United States before the International Court of Justice for his “intervention” in the civil war of the 1980s. The mention of this case seeks to revive a theme that has been recurring in Ortega’s speech, focused on blaming foreign powers for the internal crises of the country.
The context in which these reforms are approved is marked by a environment of increasing repression.
Since the 2018 protests, which left hundreds dead and thousands arrested, Ortega has eliminated practically all political oppositionclosing independent media outlets, imprisoning critical leaders and forcing tens of thousands of Nicaraguans into exile.
“This is not just a constitutional reform; It is the institutionalization of an absolute dictatorship“said a political scientist exiled in Costa Rica to the local newspaper The Presswho asked not to be identified for security reasons.
According to international organizations such as Human Rights Watchthe modifications are one more strategy of the regime to consolidate itself in power indefinitely.
With these reforms, Ortega ensures his absolute control of power while facing a country increasingly isolated in the international arena.
The prospects for the opposition are bleak, in a context where repression, exile and the co-option of institutions have reduced spaces for dissidence to a minimum.
The approval of the reforms not only marks a new chapter in the history of authoritarianism in Nicaragua, but also raises questions about how the international community will respond in the face of a regime that has closed the doors to negotiation and democratic dialogue.
