Nicaragua approves reforms boosting power of President Ortega and his wife

Legislators greenlight reforms giving much authority to Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, accused of stifling dissent.

Legislators successful Nicaragua person approved a law amendment that will fortify nan powerfulness of longtime President Daniel Ortega, who has been accused of cracking down connected critics and governmental challengers.

The reforms, which 79-year-old Ortega sent to Congress this week “as a matter of urgency”, were approved unanimously connected Friday by 91 lawmakers.

The changes elevate Ortega’s woman and vice president, Rosario Murillo, to nan station of “co-president”. They besides summation nan statesmanlike word successful nan Central American federation from 5 to six years and widen nan executive’s power complete nan media.

According to nan Nicaraguan Constitution, reforms must beryllium approved successful a 2nd legislative period, successful this lawsuit successful 2025, earlier they go effective.

Rights groups and world observers slammed nan vote arsenic a “sham” and accused nan Sandinista leader of stifling dissent by trying to legalise nan “absolute power” Ortega and his woman already wield successful nan country.

“The betterment not only reflects nan paranoia and insecurity of nan Sandinista dictatorship, but besides codifies a strategy that has nary nonstop precedent successful Latin America, dangerously resembling nan North Korean model,” wrote exiled guidance leader, Felix Maradiaga, successful nan online media outlet Divergentes.

“These modifications bespeak a hopeless effort to shield nan Ortega-Murillo family from immoderate eventuality,” he added.

Decades successful power

Ortega first served arsenic president from 1985 to 1990, returning to powerfulness successful 2007.

He secured a 4th consecutive term arsenic president successful 2021 aft an predetermination run that was marked by a months-long crackdown connected dissent and nan arrests of dozens of guidance figures, including respective statesmanlike hopefuls.

Ortega’s authorities has unopen down more than 5,000 NGOs since wide protests collapsed retired against his norm successful 2018. About 300 group died successful nan unrest, according to nan United Nations.

Meanwhile, thousands of Nicaraguans person fled into exile — often to neighbouring Costa Rica — and nan United States and European Union person imposed a bid of sanctions against Ortega’s administration.

“Nicaragua is being stripped of its intelligence superior and captious voices,” a UN sheet warned past year.

Friday’s law amendment stipulates that “traitors to nan homeland” tin beryllium stripped of their citizenship – thing Ortega has already done pinch hundreds of politicians, journalists, intellectuals and activists perceived arsenic captious of his government.

It besides gives nan co-presidents nan powerfulness to coordinate each “legislative, judicial, electoral, power and supervisory bodies, location and municipal”.

The Organization of American States, a location body, has slammed nan reforms arsenic “a definitive onslaught connected nan antiauthoritarian norm of law”.

“Through these modifications to nan basal law, Ortega and his friends activity to summation their absolute power of nan State and perpetuate themselves successful power,” nan group said successful a statement connected Wednesday.

Source

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Al Jazeera and news agencies