Nicaragua Approves Constitutional Reforms Granting Ortega and Murillo Sweeping Powers

The reforms designate Vice President Rosario Murillo as co-president, extend presidential terms, and consolidate control over state institutions.

Nicaragua's legislature unanimously passed constitutional reforms elevating Vice President Rosario Murillo to co-president alongside President Daniel Ortega.
The reforms extend presidential terms from five to six years and grant the co-presidents authority over all branches of government, including legislative, judicial, and electoral bodies.
Critics and international observers warn the changes further erode democratic institutions, cementing the Ortega-Murillo family's grip on power and undermining political freedoms.
The reforms include measures to revoke citizenship from perceived 'traitors' and expand government influence over media and religious institutions, intensifying repression since the 2018 protests.
Human rights groups and UN experts have condemned the reforms as a significant setback for civil liberties, with thousands of Nicaraguans already exiled or stripped of citizenship under Ortega's rule.