Nicaragua: Court Drops Presidential Term Limits, Tempers Flare

No Comments | November 5th, 2009 | Trackback

Political maneuvering by President Daniel Ortega and six Sandinista judges on the Supreme Court to eliminate a constitutional term limit created a political crisis that opposition leaders and the U.S. ambassador said was undermining the country’s democracy. According to opposition judges on the Supreme Court, only the legislature has the authority to change the constitution, so the ruling to scrap the limits should not be valid, especially considering that it was made after all of the other judges had left for the day. The crisis brought out large numbers of pro-Sandinista protesters who demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy for several days, throwing bottles and homemade explosives at the building and demanding the ambassador’s ouster. Tensions are likely to remain high. Ending term limits will allow President Ortega to run for reelection in 2011.