Politics · Nicaragua
A widening crackdown
Nicaragua’s National Assembly, controlled by allies of President Daniel Ortega and Vice-President Rosario Murillo, has moved to further restrict the political rights of exiled opponents. The steps build on a series of measures that critics describe as weaponising citizenship and electoral law against dissent.
The reforms come as the country heads toward its next general election. Opposition figures say the goal is to remove any remaining channel through which exiles could challenge the government.
The end of dual citizenship
In January 2026, the assembly ratified a constitutional amendment eliminating dual citizenship. Under the change, Nicaraguans lose their nationality upon acquiring another, and foreigners who naturalise must give up their prior citizenship.
Only citizens of other Central American countries residing in Nicaragua are exempt from renouncing their original nationality. The measure struck hardest at the large community of Nicaraguans who fled abroad.
A pattern of denationalisation
The reform followed years of what rights groups call the arbitrary stripping of nationality. Since 2023, authorities have denationalised nearly 500 Nicaraguans, among them writers, clergy and opposition figures, often expelling them from the country.
Losing citizenship can leave people stateless and cut off from property, pensions and family ties. For exiles, it formalises a permanent exclusion from national life.
Targeting the ballot
Beyond citizenship, Nicaragua’s legislature has debated measures that would bar opposition figures from participating in elections. Combined with the citizenship changes, such steps would leave exiled critics with little legal standing to contest power.
The government has consolidated control over the courts, the electoral authority and the legislature in recent years. Independent monitors say that leaves few checks on how election rules are written and applied.
International condemnation
The measures have drawn sharp criticism abroad. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described them as laying bare what he called the authoritarian nature of Ortega’s rule.
Exiled Nicaraguan politicians have urged international bodies to act to protect vulnerable citizens. The government rejects such criticism as foreign interference in its internal affairs.
Why it matters
For hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans living outside the country, the reforms carry direct legal and personal consequences. They also signal how far the government is willing to go to sideline organised opposition.
The trajectory has drawn comparisons with other entrenched governments in the region that have reshaped laws to stay in power. How the international community responds will shape the pressure on Managua from here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has Nicaragua’s assembly done?
It has advanced reforms restricting exiled opponents, including a January 2026 constitutional change ending dual citizenship and debate over barring opposition from elections.
How does the citizenship change work?
Nicaraguans now lose their nationality when they acquire another; naturalised foreigners must renounce their prior citizenship, with only Central Americans exempt.
How have others reacted?
Exiled politicians and foreign officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have condemned the measures; the government calls the criticism interference.
Sources
Sources: Nicaragua's National Assembly.