{"id":181866,"date":"2026-01-19T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/sin-categoria\/the-new-rings-of-power-rosario-murillo-in-charge\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T10:49:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T16:49:57","slug":"the-new-rings-of-power-rosario-murillo-in-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/policy\/the-new-rings-of-power-rosario-murillo-in-charge\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Rings of Power: Rosario Murillo in Charge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Nicaragua, neither the president nor the ruling party has changed since Daniel Ortega returned to the presidency in 2007. But the circle of power around him has changed\u2014and it has shrunk\u2014especially with the unstoppable rise of Rosario Murillo. <\/p>\n\n

The caudillo\u2019s wife went from being the campaign communications chief in 2001 to becoming the de facto head of the government cabinet and the regime\u2019s spokesperson in 2007. She later rose to become vice president of the \u201c50-50\u201d arrangement in 2017, and since 2025 she has been \u201cconstitutionally\u201d installed as \u201cco-president\u201d and dynastic successor<\/a>. Meanwhile, Daniel Ortega appears increasingly weakened and isolated, without real decision-making power, serving only a symbolic and ceremonial role within the regime. <\/p>\n\n

Murillo\u2019s rise took several decades to become formalized, but long before holding office she had already \u201ccleared the ground,\u201d toppling the heads of rivals who once seemed untouchable\u2014such as Dionisio \u201cNicho\u201d Marenco, Lenin Cerna, Humberto Ortega, among others\u2014in a political landscape where there is no room for anyone who dares to question or threaten the throne on which Rosario Murillo sees herself ruling without any shadow over her.<\/p>\n\n\t

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<\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>
\"Rosario<\/div>

2007<\/h2>

First lady, spokesperson, and de facto chief of staff.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>

<\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>
\"Rosario<\/div>

2012<\/h2>

First lady, spokesperson, and de facto chief of staff.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>

<\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>
\"Rosario<\/div>

2017<\/h2>

Vice President. Daniel Ortega says: 50-50 power sharing. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>

<\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>
\"Rosario<\/div>

2022<\/h2>

She is reaffirmed as vice president, in the line of dynastic succession.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>

<\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>
\"Daniel<\/div>

2025<\/h2>

“Constitutionally” imposed as co-president.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In October 2016, CONFIDENCIAL<\/strong> published the report The Rings of Power and the Operators of Ortega and Murillo<\/a>, which included, for the first time, an outline of how power was organized in Nicaragua at the time and who its key operators were. Ten years later, after a citizen uprising was crushed in bloodshed and under a de facto police state, we present the new map of the chain of command managing the four pillars of power: <\/p>\n\n