QCOSTARICA — Nicaragua’s legislature ratified a constitutional reform on Wednesday, January 14, that ends the right of Nicaraguans to dual nationality. This move affects hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans living abroad, who will now lose their citizenship if they acquire another nationality.
The change is part of a broader constitutional overhaul last year that cemented absolute control for the country’s ruling dictatorship, Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The ruling party-controlled National Assembly said on X (formerly Twitter) that the law means Nicaraguans “will lose their nationality upon acquiring another nationality.” The assembly framed the change as a reaffirmation that being Nicaraguan is “an act of commitment to the defense of independence, sovereignty, and self-determination,” rather than a mere title.
The reform was initially approved by legislators in May 2025 at the request of Ortega and Murillo, with final ratification completed this week.
In recent years, Ortega and Murillo’s government has stripped citizenship from many opponents and critics, branding them “traitors” and forcing them into exile.
The new law also requires foreigners who become Nicaraguan citizens to renounce their original nationality, except for those from Central American countries.
The announcement of the elimination of dual citizenship generated unease among broad sectors of the population. Dozens of Nicaraguans took to social media to express their discontent and doubts about the constitutional reform, an unusual gesture in a country where fear of public opinion persists due to the risk of legal repercussions.
The main concern is whether the loss of citizenship would be retroactive and affect thousands of Nicaraguans with one or more citizenships.
Initially, following approval last May, Gustavo Porras, president of the legislature, appeared on television to assure the public that the regulation would not be applied retroactively.
However, the reform approved on Wednesday leaves no room for interpretation: acquiring a foreign nationality entails the automatic loss of Nicaraguan nationality.
For many Nicaraguans abroad, obtaining a new nationality has meant stability, a secure passport, and the end of immigration restrictions. However, with the reform of Articles 23 and 25 of the Political Constitution, what was once an administrative advancement has become a complete loss of rights within Nicaragua.
The law will take effect after its publication in La Gaceta, the Official Gazette, expected in the coming days.
The reform places exiles before a crucial dilemma: continue or begin the naturalization process in the country of residence, or preserve their rights as Nicaraguan citizens and the legal link with their country of origin.
The Great Nicaraguan Opposition Confederation, representing expatriate organizations, condemned the reform as a “punishment by the dictatorship” that will increase forced exile.
Ortega, 80, and Murillo, 74, tightened their grip on power following the 2018 protests that left around 300 dead, which they labeled a U.S.-backed coup attempt.
Last Saturday, the government freed about 20 imprisoned opposition figures amid U.S. pressure and shortly after the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a close ally. Yet dozens of political prisoners remain, including some recently arrested for celebrating Maduro’s capture on social media, according to an exile-based NGO.
Reports suggest Ortega, who has ruled since 2007, is facing health issues, prompting Murillo to intensify crackdowns and an internal purge to secure the regime’s future.