Nicaragua: Ortega has presented a constitutional reform with which his wife would be co-president and both would control the 3 powers of the state

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega ordered this Wednesday a sweeping reform of his country’s constitution, which will give him and his wife Rosario Murillo absolute power over the three branches of the state.

Ortega’s executive presented a proposal of “Law to protect Nicaraguans from external sanctions and attacksLocal media and agencies reported that the National Assembly has been asked to take immediate action on this.

With the reform, Rosario Murillo, who is the country’s Vice President, will become a “co-president”, a new person included in the Magna Carta.

The “Co-Chairman” and “Co-Chairman” shall have equal power and shall be elected by universal suffrage.

The reform would affect more than 100 articles of the current constitution that the Ortega government has already amended on 12 occasions Since 2007, including one that allowed him to be re-elected to an indefinite term in office.

National Assembly President Gustavo Porras announced this Friday that it is expected that the law will be approved in the coming days.

According to an amendment, the ruling couple will become “Coordinator” of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.Which till now the Constitution considered independent.

The tenure of both co-chairs will also be increased from the current 5 to 6 years, who will enjoy “immunity” during that period.

Another amendment will make this figure “Volunteer Police” “An auxiliary support body to the National Police, composed of Nicaraguan citizens who voluntarily offer their services.”

Human rights organizations have accused these informal brigades of repressing and shooting at civilians during 2018 anti-government protests.

According to the organizations, the constitutional reform would also allow the removal from office of public officials who disagree with the “fundamental principles” of governance, a practice that was already occurring informally.

Reforms will be further limited freedom of expression When it “does not violate the rights of any other person, community and.” Principles of Security, Peace and Welfare enshrined in the Constitution.”

In addition, the flag of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Ortega’s party that rules the country, has been made official as national emblems, along with the blue and white Nicaraguan flag, the national anthem, and the national coat of arms.

The constitutional reform is expected to be approved by the National Assembly, where 75 out of 91 representatives are from FSLN And the rest generally do not oppose the initiatives presented there.

Ortega, 79, abolished the limits established by the Constitution for presidential terms, which have allowed him to renew his post several times since 2007 in electoral processes considered fraudulent by many countries and international organizations.

His wife, Rosario Murillo, rules together with him. Vice President of Nicaragua since 2017,

Both renewed their positions following the 2021 elections, which saw the main opposition candidates suspended and jailed, and were deemed fraudulent by most of the West and international organizations.

The announcement of constitutional reform has sparked a wave of criticism from the Nicaraguan opposition, whose leaders are in exile after being imprisoned and then tried in 2023.

For Félix Maradiaga, one of the most visible figures of dissent, the measure “not only represents the totalitarian consolidation of power in the hands of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, but also formalizes on paper Systematic human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by the dictatorship over years,

For his part, politician, economist and businessman Juan Sebastián Chamorro condemned that the reform “eliminates the separation of state powers and leaves them under the coordination of a two-headed dictatorship.”

Chamorro charged that, although this is “already happening in practice,” it is “the biggest violation of rights, because it is the Magna Carta.”

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