Year 20251month30On April 1, the Nicaraguan Congress unanimously approved for the second time a constitutional amendment granting broad powers to the president and his wife.approvalreceived the "co-presidency". With this, President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, became "co-presidents," and the president's term of office was5Since the year6extended to two years, as well as unlimitedre-electionwere now possible. In addition, each co-president could choose any number of vice presidents.

By thus strengthening the president's authority,2018It has been going on since the protests triggered by the Social Security reforms of 1964.human rights violationof, furtherbecoming more serious or severe (problem)is a concern. ThereasonAs a result, the Constitution formally enshrines the strengthening of the president's authority in judicial and legislative affairs and the intervention of the military in police actions for the purpose of maintaining public order.GNVWell, that's all for now,2024counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)11month22The initial approval of the proposed constitutional amendments onreportedThis article will take a comprehensive look at the history of President and Mrs. Ortega and its impact on the constitutional changes described above.

President Daniel Ortega (Photo:) Cubadebate / Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])

History of Nicaragua

First, we will look at the history of Nicaragua. Nicaragua is located in the center of Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. It faces the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, and is the largest country in Central America. Nicaragua has a B.C.12,000It has been inhabited since 1949.recordThere are also Several indigenous groups formed in the territory of present-day Nicaragua that were influenced by the Aztec and Mayan empires but retained their own social structures, but no unified empire was ever built.

Around 1522, the Spanish invasion began,2Years later.1524In the yearcolonizationThe invasion began in 1949. From the start of the invasion30Within a year, about100It is believed that the indigenous population, which used to number 10,000, has been drastically reduced to nearly tens of thousands. The reason for thismanywas not because of war, but because of epidemics and other plagues brought by the Spanish and human trafficking in Spain. Many settlers from Spain later settled in the area. Also,17From the century to the18Through the 19th century, the Mosquito Coast, located on the eastern coast of Nicaragua, was also historically ruled as a British protectorate. Under the influence of Spain and other countries, about half of Nicaragua is now Catholic.(religious) faithThe company is doing so.

In 1821, Nicaragua declared its independence from Spain, but the First Mexican Empire, which had just gained independence from Spain as well (note 1incorporated into the country (see Figure 1). Although there was a move toward full independence,1823In 1949, Nicaragua was incorporated as part of the United Provinces of Central America, which includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Subsequently, due to conflicts within the Union, Nicaragua was1838in the yearwithdrawal (e.g. from a lawsuit)The country became a fully independent state when it became the first country to become an independent state. After independence, the Spanish colonial cities of Granada and León, where the political principle ofconfrontationfollowed. Granada was the center of the centralized, liberal liberal faction, while Leon was the center of the decentralized, conservative faction.

Around the late 19th century, Nicaragua became the focus of attention as the site of a canal connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and the United States began to influence Nicaragua. Latin American countries, including Nicaragua,1898Since the Spanish-American War in 1949, there have been frequent U.S. military interventions and political interference.areaIt is also "banana republicIt is sometimes referred to as the "United Fruit Company. This name is used by U.S. companies like United Fruit Company to refer to Latin American countries thatemergingThe U.S. intervention in Nicaragua was a result of the U.S.' desire to "take over" the country, and the strong influence of U.S. economic interests in these countries. Against this backdrop, the U.S. intervened in Nicaraguan politics by exploiting the conflict of political principles within Nicaragua between the liberal and conservative factions. For example,1855In 1949, Mr. William Walker, an American mercenary, signed a military contract with the Liberals. When the Liberals won the war against the conservatives, Mr. Walker seized power in the Liberal party,1856President of Nicaragua in 2006.would-beThe first time he did so was in 1949, when he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Walker attempted to expand his influence in Central America, but lost a battle with neighbors who were concerned about this,1857He resigned as president in 2006.

Since then, though, governance by the Conservative Party has continued,1893In 1949, the liberal Jose Santos Celaya led a rebellion and became president. Although Mr. Zelaya was a liberal, he used dictatorial means in his politics. He also confronted the U.S. over the right to build a canal.1909In 2006, following the U.S. military intervention, Zelaya resigned and a new conservative president was installed. Subsequently, a conservative government was formed by the U.S. and Brian Chamorropactand allowed the establishment of canals and military bases. This is,1925counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)8It continued until the U.S. military temporarily withdrew from Nicaragua in June.

Thereafter, the struggle between conservatives and liberals continued unabated,1926counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)5In May, U.S. troops were again in Nicaragua.interventionThe U.S. military was the first to make peace between the conservatives and the liberals. In doing so, the U.S. military made peace between conservatives and liberals.agencySh,1927The war ended in 1949. After the war ended, presidential elections were held,1933As soon as Juan Bautista Sacasa became president in 2006, the U.S. troops were withdrawn.

Somoza is welcomed by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (Photo:) Harris & Ewing / Wikimedia Commons [public domain])

Later, Anastacio Somoza Garcia, then head of Nicaragua's National Guard, deposed Sacasa with the support of both liberal and conservative factions, and through rigged elections,1937President in 2006.inaugurationThe first time I did this, I was in the middle of a meeting with a friend of mine. From here1979The dictatorship of the Somoza family remained in place until 1949. Behind the dictatorship was the economic and military support of the U.S. government.There it is.The Somoza family and its associates, enriched by this financial support, expanded their purchase of farmland. With this financial support, the wealthy Somoza family and their associates began to buy up more and more farmland, and about20land from 10,000,000 farmers.Taken.It is also said that

They controlled key industries such as mining and finance, in addition to agriculture, to the enormous wealth of the Somoza family and local and U.S. companies.possibleon the one hand. On the other hand, the majority of the publicpoorIt is believed that the company had fallen into a1961In 1964, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (Sandinista National Liberation Front) was formed to liberate Nicaragua from the control of the Somoza regime and the U.S. government.FSLNTheEstablishmentAt the time, the company was At the time,FSLNwas supported by the Soviet Union.1979counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)7Month,FSLNThe rebel forces led by the Somoza family led a revolution against the Somoza regime, ending the dictatorship of the Somoza family.

Politics after the Sandinista Revolution

Post-Revolutionary1979counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)7Month,FSLNThe following year, the government of Nicaragua was formed, led by Daniel Ortega, the current president of Nicaragua, with a number of leaders to rebuild the country.1980In 1949, he established the National Council. Mr. Ortega is a member of the1980Since the year1985He served as president until 2006. His government aimed to improve poverty and redistribute wealth through land reform and nationalization of major industries.implementationThe Sandinista Revolution was a democratic revolution. The decree that functioned as the new constitution guaranteed the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people, and that the Sandinista Revolution was on the road to democratization.pointing outThe company has been

Contra soldiers at war with the FSLN (Photo:) Tiomono / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0])

However, the U.S., seeing the revolution as a shift toward communism, once again stepped up its intervention in Nicaragua. Then-President Ronald Reagan, a contra (*2) and provided economic and military support to the rebel groups represented by the In such circumstances,1984In 2006, the Nicaraguan government filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), claiming that the placement of mines in its territorial waters by the United States was a violation of international law.ICJTo.suingThe first time, the company was in a position to do so.1986Year,ICJThe U.S. has found that the said actions of the U.S. were contrary to international law and ordered damages to Nicaragua, but the U.S. has not yet made a decision in this matter.ICJjurisdiction and did not accept the judgment. Contra andFSLNA cease-fire is reached in the war between1988It lasted until 1949. During that time, human rights violations by the Contras were frequent, and about8,000with two civilians.910government employees.killingThe first time the company was founded, it is believed to have done so in the 1960s.

In 1990, the first presidential election was held since the end of the war. In the election,FSLNis a U.S.-backed national opposition coalition (UNO) and Violeta Barrios de Chamorro became president.inaugurationThe Chamorro government has been In the Chamorro Administration.FSLNreforms that reversed many of the policies of the government. One example is the resignation of Ortega's brother, former army commander Umberto Ortega. Hisresignis also said to have strengthened civilian control over the military and increased military stability. The disarmament of the contras and the downsizing of the national army, as well as the state'speaceIt is believed that he worked to promote the project.

And liberal economic reforms have also taken place under the Chamorro administration, with the International Monetary Fund (IMFand the World Bank, and had entered into agreements with them, including loans. In particular, the "100Also known as the "Day Plan" or "Mayolaga Planeconomic policyaimed to reduce the nation's budget deficit and control inflation. However, the rise in unemployment and prices created by this plan led to public and private sector strikes throughout the countryresultThe first time this happened was in 1983, when the company was founded.

FSLN mural (Photo:) Garrett Ziegler / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

Although subsequent regimes continued to have neoliberal ideologies,FSLNMr. Ortega of the2006counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)11President in May.re-electionThe first time the event was held was in 1976. One of the factors that contributed to this success was the strong appeal for the improvement of the serious poverty problem in Nicaragua.pointing outThe first time the government was able to do so, it was the first time in the history of the country. Other factors that helped to gain the support of the Catholic Church were Ortega's reelection to thecauseIt is believed that it was. To that example, before the election,FSLNis the passage of a bill banning abortion, which the Church had long sought in Congress, where the majority of the

When he first took office, Ortega supported the liberal economy of recent years. For example,2006The China-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which was signed inDR-CAFTAThe project has attracted foreign investment through the "FDI in Nicaragua" (FDI in the United States and Canada). As a result, the creation of jobs and economic development in Nicaragua havepromotionIt is believed that he did so. He also worked to build peaceful relations with neighboring countries. Specifically, he helped resolve the long-standing dispute with Honduras over maritime waters and the dispute over the use of the San Juan River, which flows along the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

In addition, there was the aspect of strengthening the power base in the administration.2011counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)10In May, a constitutional provision prohibiting consecutive presidential reelections wasreleaseand in the same year11He was reelected in the presidential election in May. In addition, in the congressional elections, Ortega'sFSLNschool (e.g. of ikebana)90of the seats in the Diet62seats in Congress, and he is now able to receive the backing of his party in Congress.2016In the year,3A proposed constitutional amendment to allow a candidate to run for the presidency for a consecutive term has beenapprovalThe first time the company was founded, it was a small company.2017Since 2006, Ortega's wife, Rosario Murillo, has been vice president.

The 2018 march (PHOTOS:) Jorge Mejía peralta / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY 2.0])

However,FSLNThere was also resistance to the domination of the For example,2018counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)4In June, several days of demonstrations were held in the wake of social security reform, which the government violently suppressed. TheContentsThe government was to raise the amount of taxes paid by workers and employers in order to finance social security, and to cut pension benefits for pensioners. Later that year, tens of thousands of citizens protesting the government's repression of the demonstrations marched again in the capital. That same year7The number of deaths related to demonstrations and other protests through March300More than one personbe offered (to the gods, etc.)The proposal is considered to be the first of its kind in the world. In response, Mr. Ortega ultimately proposed this revision to thewithdrawalThe Church was also involved in the protests. In addition, the Church's cooperative attitude toward the protesters at the demonstration led to a good relationship between the Catholic Church and Mr. Ortega'srelationshipis believed to have collapsed.

He states that since this time, human rights violations in Nicaragua have continued and that violations against those who criticize the government have gradually expanded and intensified,2024counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)9The United Nations, which was released in May(written) reportalso exist. According to that report, religious groups that have been a base of protest against the government andNGORepression of groups is also said to be worsening. In fact,2023counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)10from month to month2024counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)1During the month of May, at least27People Catholic priests and clerics were unjustly arrested and,31Two clergymen have been detained for long periods of time and then deported. Also,2024counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)8In May,1,500(at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusionNGOorganizations have been outlawed, and a total of5,000More thanNGOand universities, and the media.disassemblyIt is also said that he did.

Impact and Evaluation of Constitutional Amendments

Thus, in recent years, authoritarianism and human rights violations have intensified in Nicaragua. In such a situation,2025counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)1month30On April 1, the Nicaraguan Congress unanimously approved a constitutional amendment granting broad powers to the president and his wife, which will officially go into effect. This constitutional amendment is intended to guarantee the presidential succession of the Ortegas and their families and to perpetuate the family's power.pointing outThere are also As mentioned at the beginning of this article, this constitutional revision will not only strengthen the Ortega couple's authority in judicial and legislative matters as co-presidents, but also legitimize by law the military's intervention in police actions for the purpose of maintaining security.

There are also effects such as the legalization of recognizing persons critical of the government as "traitors to their country" and stripping these people of their nationality. This measure was in place prior to legalization,2023counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2In May, a Nicaraguan court ruled that human rights activists and journalists critical of the government94He said he stripped people of their nationality.caseThere are also However, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR(hereinafter referred to as "the Company"), as this measure violates international law,criticismThe government has also been In addition to deprivation of nationality, oppression such as persecution and imprisonment are alsoinfestationThe opposition leaders and presidential candidates are also caught up in these repressions.

Demonstration by students (photo:) Jorge Mejía peralta / Flickr [CC BY 2.0])

In addition, the constitutional changes have also tightened control over the media. When the government imposed restrictions on the Nicaraguan press, it sometimes claimed that the institutions were influenced by foreign interests, such as the United States. In such cases, proof of the existence of "foreign interests" was required. However, with the recent revisions, proof of "foreign interests" is no longer required.unnecessaryand this has allowed the government to impose restrictions on a wider range of media coverage. In addition, many of its media personnel have gone into exile due to government repression, and most independent and anti-government media operate outside Nicaragua.

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So far, we have written about Nicaragua's history, authoritarianization, and escalation of human rights violations. Is there a path to democracy and room for improvement in human rights abuses in Nicaragua? Some opposition parties and rebel groups opposed to the current government have been deported or deprived of their nationality by the government. Opposition forces that have been expelled from the country have not been able to unite and send a unified message to the rest of the country as Nicaraguan citizens.voicehave also risen. Some have also pointed out that this situation has affected the lack of interest in Nicaragua's domestic problems in other countries.

But it is not necessarily without voices from outside the country. In April 2025, UN human rights experts will be compiling a list of a total of 54 government officials and military personnel suspected of involvement in systematic human rights abuses in Nicaragua.official announcementHowever, the situation is still difficult, with no improvement in sight. Nevertheless, the situation remains grim, with no signs of improvement in sight. It remains to be seen whether pressure on the government from abroad will topple it, and whether politics will change based on the unity of the people.

note 11821Since the year1823A constitutional monarchy that existed in Mexico through 1949.

note 2 (supplementary information) FSLNof counterrevolutionary forces aimed at overthrowing the regime.kindOriginally, the Contras served in the National Guard under the Somoza regime.

writerHayato Ishimoto

Graphic:MIKI Yuna

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