Weaponizing citizenship: Silencing dissent in Nicaragua

July 30, 2026

The Nicaraguan government under Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has systematically stripped citizenship from over 300 political opponents, journalists, and dissidents since 2023, labeling them as "traitors to the homeland. " This denationalization campaign follows a pattern of authoritarian control that intensified after the 2018 political crisis, when violent state crackdowns on social protests resulted in hundreds of deaths and detentions. Ortega justifies these actions by positioning himself as an anti-imperialist leader carrying forward the legacy of revolutionary Augusto César Sandino, while equating political dissent with treason against the nation.

Who is affected

Over 300 Nicaraguans who have been stripped of their nationality, including opposition members, journalists, human rights defenders, writers, and Catholic Church representatives
222 political prisoners who were released and deported to the United States on February 9, 2023
An additional 94 Nicaraguans whose nationality was revoked on February 15, 2023
Nicaraguan citizens living under the authoritarian Ortega-Murillo administration
At least 355 people killed during the 2018 state crackdown on protests
More than 2,000 people injured during the 2018 protests
Over 2,000 people arbitrarily detained during the 2018 protests
Journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society organizations facing continued harassment

What action is being taken

The Nicaraguan government is revoking citizenship from individuals declared "traitors to the homeland" under Law No. 1145, enacted in February 2023
The Ortega-Murillo administration is suppressing dissent through arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and religion
The governments of Mexico, Spain, Chile, and Argentina are offering to naturalize Nicaraguans who have been rendered stateless
Amnesty International is documenting and reporting on human rights abuses in Nicaragua

Why it matters

This matters because denationalization is being used as a tool of political persecution that renders people stateless, stripping them of fundamental rights and state protection. The systematic removal of citizenship from political opponents represents a severe escalation of authoritarianism in Nicaragua, undermining democratic institutions and human rights protections. This case demonstrates how authoritarian regimes weaponize nationality laws to silence dissent and consolidate power, a trend echoed in other countries like Cambodia and Russia. The declaration that there will be no more elections signals the complete abandonment of democratic processes in Nicaragua, affecting millions of citizens and setting a dangerous precedent for the region.

What's next

Nicaragua's presidential election was set for 2027 after being postponed from its original schedule at the end of 2026
However, Daniel Ortega announced on July 19, 2026, that "there will be no more elections" in the country

Read full article from source: Global Voices