Nicaragua’s Ortega Delays Elections to 2027, Extends Power
Latin America · Politics
Key Facts
—Constitutional reform. Amended 148 of 198 articles and repealed 37 others in Nicaragua’s 1987 Constitution.
—Co-presidency created. Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo now serve as equal co-presidents, replacing the former president–vice president arrangement with a co‑presidency while maintaining the institution of the Presidency itself.
—Term extended. The presidential term was lengthened from five to six years, pushing the next vote to November 2027.
—Separation of powers ended. Amended Article 132 grants the president power to coordinate the legislative, judicial, and electoral branches.
—Citizenship revocation. The reform authorizes loss of nationality for anyone declared a traitor to the nation.
—Expert assessment (ACLED). The change “seals the transition” to a “full-fledged, family-run dictatorship,” scrapping electoral competition rather than staging a rigged vote, according to an expert assessment.
The Nicaragua elections scheduled for November 2026 have been cancelled through a constitutional reform that extends the presidential term, effectively postponing the next general vote until November 2027.
The Legal Mechanism
Nicaragua’s National Assembly approved a constitutional reform amending 148 of the 198 articles of the country’s 1987 Constitution and repealing 37 others.
The reform received final unanimous approval between January 26 and 30, 2025, and entered into force in February 2025.
How the Nicaragua Elections Were Postponed
The core change affecting the electoral calendar is the extension of the presidential term from five to six years.
Because the current term was adjusted under the new framework, the originally scheduled November 2026 general election will not take place.
Officials are now set to remain in power until January 2028, with the next vote theoretically scheduled for November 2027.
Restructuring the State
The reform abolished the presidency and vice presidency, replacing them with a two-person co-presidency held by Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo as equal co-presidents.
The amended Article 132 now grants the president the power to coordinate the legislative, judicial, and electoral branches, removing their status as independent powers of the state.
The reform also allows Murillo to automatically assume sole power if Ortega dies, without requiring a new election.
A Pattern of Consolidation: Background and Context
Daniel Ortega first led Nicaragua in the 1980s after the Sandinista revolution and returned to the presidency in 2007, gradually tightening control over state institutions.
Previous term limits were eliminated in earlier reforms, allowing Ortega to run indefinitely and setting the stage for this latest constitutional overhaul.
The creation of a family co-presidency formalizes a power structure that critics have long described as a dynastic authoritarian regime, with Murillo already serving as vice president since 2017.
Ortega himself has publicly stated that political alternation will not return to Nicaragua, signaling that the November 2027 vote is unlikely to offer a genuine democratic choice.
International Reaction
The Organization of American States (OAS) General Secretariat rejected and repudiated the reform, stating it violates international obligations.
The United States condemned the move as ending political alternation, while the European Parliament criticized the elimination of the balance of powers.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed deep concern over the concentration of authority and the institutionalization of citizenship revocation.
Human Rights Watch reported that the amendment empowers the co-presidency to control the judiciary and legislature, formally ending the separation of powers.
The changes formalize a concentration of power that Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo had built since the deadly 2018 protests. In the years since, hundreds of opponents were jailed, exiled or stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship.
Rights groups say the reform removes the last formal check on the couple’s rule. It leaves no competitive vote scheduled before November 2027.
Analysts who track political violence read the move as the end of competitive politics in Nicaragua. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project (ACLED) shared the following assessment:
“With this decision, Ortega and his wife and co-president Rosario Murillo seal the transition of the country to a full-fledged, family-run dictatorship. They had already pushed through a constitutional reform that extended by one year the presidential term that was due to end in 2026.”
“The rulers are thus doubling down efforts to prevent the emergence of new manifestations of dissent: following the brutal crackdown to the 2018 protest movement, ACLED has recorded a few anti-government protests only around the 2021 electoral cycle, in which authorities disqualified main opposition parties and arrested the most prominent opposition figures… as well as the November 2022 local elections in the Caribbean coast [according to ACLED data].”
“Ortega and Murillo are evidently afraid at the idea that the slightest political opening could create the conditions for dissent to manifest and threaten their grip on power, possibly suggesting that their already feeble domestic support is further falling. Therefore, instead of staging a rigged election, they have opted to eliminate electoral competition altogether.”
“A disunited opposition movement, most of whose representatives are exiled, coupled with an overall stable economic performance, a cohesive repressive apparatus, and a waning international attention have all contributed to defusing the manifestation of dissent… However, the further lack of legitimacy that will come from the indefinite permanence in power and the possible greater regional scrutiny it may attract, may hinder Ortega-Murillo’s plans next year.”
— Tiziano Breda, Latin America Senior Analyst, ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data). This is ACLED’s expert assessment, provided to The Rio Times on July 20, 2026; ACLED is an independent, widely cited conflict-monitoring organization.
What It Means for Expats, Investors, and Tourists
For foreign residents and investors, the formal elimination of judicial independence raises serious concerns about property rights protection and contract enforcement in Nicaragua.
The citizenship revocation clause introduces legal uncertainty for dual nationals and anyone the government may label a traitor to the nation, a term that remains broadly defined.
Tourists are unlikely to face immediate disruption, but the consolidation of power could affect long-term stability and the operating environment for international businesses in sectors like tourism and agriculture.
International sanctions and diplomatic isolation may increase, potentially complicating banking, trade, and travel links for anyone with financial or personal ties to Nicaragua.
Frequently Asked Questions
Were Nicaragua elections abolished entirely?
No. The scheduled November 2026 vote was cancelled through a term extension, with the next election theoretically set for November 2027. However, President Ortega has stated that traditional political alternation will not return, casting doubt on whether future votes will be competitive.
What is the co-presidency created by the reform?
The reform abolished the separate presidency and vice presidency, designating Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo as equal co-presidents. It also includes automatic succession provisions allowing Murillo to assume sole power if Ortega dies, without triggering a new election.
How did the international community respond?
The OAS, United States, European Union, and UN human rights officials all condemned the reform as eliminating democratic checks and consolidating power. The OAS formally rejected the changes, while the US and European Parliament criticized the end of political alternation and the balance of powers.
Featured image: Daniel Ortega, 2024 — photo by the State Duma of the Russian Federation, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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