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On May 16, 2025, during a special session held in the town of Niquinohomo to mark the 130th anniversary of national hero Augusto C. Sandino’s birth, Nicaragua’s National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment banning dual nationality for Nicaraguans.
The constitutional amendment, proposed as a matter of urgency by Nicaragua’s co-presidents and spouses, Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, affects Articles 23 and 25, referring to “Nicaraguan nationality.“
The revised text of Article 23 now states that “foreign nationals may be naturalized, provided they renounce their original nationality,” while “Central Americans by birth, residing in Nicaragua, have the right to opt for Nicaraguan nationality without renouncing their own.”
The reform eliminates the clause that previously read: “In cases of dual nationality, matters shall proceed in accordance with treaties and the principle of reciprocity.”
With the amendment, Article 25 now reads: “Nicaraguan nationality will be lost upon acquiring another nationality.”
The reform was approved quickly and by a show of hands from all 91 members of the legislature during a special session held on the afternoon of May 16, 2025, in the town of Niquinohomo, Masaya, in commemoration of the 130th anniversary of the birth of Nicaraguan national hero Augusto C. Sandino (1895–1934).
During the session, sanctioned lawmaker Gustavo Porras, president of the National Assembly, called the elimination of dual citizenship for Nicaraguans “absolutely democratic.”
To take effect, the reform must be approved during a second legislative session, expected next year.
The “reasons” for removing dual citizenship from Nicaraguans
“Nationality is not an administrative formality, but a sacred pact of loyalty. Anyone who acquires another nationality and swears allegiance to a foreign state severs their legal and moral ties with Nicaragua. Dual loyalty cannot exist: the homeland demands exclusive commitment,” reads the justification for the reform submitted by Ortega and Murillo.
“That is why,” they continue, “some sovereign states do not allow dual nationality. Nicaragua, in exercising its sovereignty, must ensure that its citizenship is not used as a tool by foreign or conflicting interests.”
According to Ortega and Murillo, banning dual citizenship “reaffirms that being Nicaraguan is not a title, but an act of devotion to the defense of independence, sovereignty, and self-determination.”
“Anyone who chooses another flag voluntarily gives up their place in Sandino’s homeland—one that is unique, indivisible, and revolutionary,” the authoritarian leaders state.
In mid-February 2025, Nicaragua put into effect a profound reform to the Political Constitution that transforms the State, dismantled the system of checks and balances, and granted total power to Ortega and Murillo, who now hold the joint title of “co-presidents.” The move has drawn strong criticism from the United Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS), the United States, the European Parliament, and Nicaraguan opposition groups.
