Constitutional reform in Nicaragua: 80-year-old Ortega extends his term in office

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has submitted a draft constitutional reform to the parliament he controls, which would extend his term in office from six to seven years, with the possibility of further extensions.

The plan also includes banning “traitors” and “coup organizers” from running for office and holding public office. According to the opposition and human rights activists, this would completely remove his political opponents from power.

A week ago, Ortega announced that the country would no longer hold elections. He said this was necessary to prevent the opposition from coming to power. The announcement was made during celebrations marking the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution.

Ortega, the Marxist-Leninist leader of Nicaragua, returned to power in 2007. In recent years, his government has steadily tightened its grip on state institutions, arresting or disqualifying numerous opposition politicians and passing constitutional changes that expanded the president’s powers and cemented the status of his wife, Rosario Murillo, as co-ruler.