Congress unanimously approved the constitutional amendment bill
Last year, his wife was designated as co-president
Rubio criticized the “Successive Royalty” of U.S. Secretary of State

On July 19, the 47th anniversary of the Nicaraguan Revolution was held in Managua, Nicaragua. President Daniel Ortega, left, waves alongside his wife and co-president Rosario Murillo. [AFP = Yonhap News] 사진 확대 On July 19, the 47th anniversary of the Nicaraguan Revolution was held in Managua, Nicaragua. President Daniel Ortega, left, waves alongside his wife and co-president Rosario Murillo. [AFP = Yonhap News]

Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega, who led the socialist revolution in Latin America in the 1980s, effectively entered the long-term process of power through constitutional amendment. The international community, including the United States and the European Union (EU), is strongly opposed to the constitutional amendment that undermined the value of democracy.

According to Reuters and others on the 2nd (local time), Nicaragua’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment to limit opposition parties’ participation in elections and extend the president’s term in office. As a result, it is evaluated that President Daniel Ortega, who has been in power for a long time since 2006, has entered a lifetime dictatorship.

The National Assembly Speaker Gustavo Porras said the amendment was unanimously passed at a plenary session of the National Assembly held in a special conference hall in front of Leon Cathedral the day before. The constitutional amendment is scheduled to go through the final ratification process at the next legislative session, which will begin in early 2027.

The amendment extends the president’s term from six years to seven years and prohibits opposition figures involved in planning or implementing coups from running for public office. As a result, the presidential election, which was scheduled for the end of this year, has been postponed to the end of 2027.

President Ortega had publicly said in July that there would be “no more elections” in Nicaragua to prevent the opposition from seizing power. In response, several Latin American countries, including Brazil, Chile and Bolivia, criticized President Ortega’s announcement at the time, considering it a democratic retreat.

The constitutional amendment is expected to strengthen President Ortega’s power base. Ortega, who led the Sandinista National Liberation Front and led the end of the Somosa family’s 42-year dictatorship, served as president from 1985 to 1990 and has been in power for a long time since he was elected again in the 2006 presidential election. In 2018, the government suppressed a series of anti-government protests, killing more than 300 people and injuring thousands.

The Ortega regime established a power succession structure last year by designating his wife, Rosario Murillo, as the official co-president through a constitutional amendment. Analysts say that the constitutional amendment bill has effectively established a lifelong dictatorship and a hereditary family system.

The Nicaraguan National Assembly announced on the 1st that the constitutional amendment was unanimously passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly at a special conference hall in front of Leon Cathedral. [Picture = Nicaragua Congress X] 사진 확대 The Nicaraguan National Assembly announced on the 1st that the constitutional amendment was unanimously passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly at a special conference hall in front of Leon Cathedral. [Picture = Nicaragua Congress X]

The international community criticized the passage of the constitutional amendment in a strong tone. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on the 2nd, “The Nicaraguan National Assembly, captured by the Ortega couple, revised the constitution to consolidate (their) illegal hereditary monarchy and permanently deprive the people of free and fair election opportunities.”

“The dictatorship should not enjoy the same economic or political benefits as governments committed to protecting peace and security in the Americas,” he said. “The United States urges its international partners to immediately stop doing business with this brutal dictatorship.”

The European Union also condemned the “systematic oppression of Nicaraguan authorities” and called for free elections. The Organization of American States (OAS) has also decided to hold an emergency meeting to discuss sanctions against Nicaragua.

“He is the longest-serving leader in the Americas, who has been in power for nearly 20 years,” Reuters said. “He is in a deep political quagmire after the massive exodus of Nicaragua.”