Nicaragua regime to extend military, police chief terms to seven years

Nicaragua's government is pushing for a constitutional reform that would extend the mandates of the heads of the Army and National Police from six to seven years. This move, spearheaded by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, aims to solidify their control over the country's security forces, which are described as the "repressive arms of the dictatorship."

The initiative, though not fully detailed, was announced by National Assembly President Gustavo Porras Cortés. He stated that the constitutional amendment would establish a seven-year term for various positions, including the commander-in-chief of the Army and the director general of the Police. This follows a previous extension from five to six years enacted in early 2025.

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The terms of appointment for the commander-in-chief of the Army of Nicaragua's military forces and for the heads of the police forces will be seven years.

Further reforms proposed include extending the terms of "elected officials and officials whose election or ratification corresponds to the National Assembly" to seven years. These changes are part of a broader package of constitutional reforms introduced after Ortega declared that "elections will never happen again in the country." The Supreme Electoral Council's powers are also being redefined to organize elections every seven years, with new restrictions on granting legal status to political parties financed by foreign entities or led by individuals who have violated the constitution.

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elections will never happen again in the country