Nicaragua legislature votes to end dual citizenship

17/5/2025 12:22

Nicaragua's National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment on Friday to eliminate dual citizenship in a move that would impact thousands of people, including government opponents.



The reform of articles 23 and 25 of the constitution must be approved again in 2026 to take effect, as constitutional amendments require approval by two legislatures.



The reform passed with all 91 of the votes in the legislature, which is dominated by the ruling Sandinista Front.



Under the reform, Nicaraguans acquiring another nationality would lose their Nicaraguan citizenship. Foreigners seeking Nicaraguan citizenship would need to renounce their original nationality, except for Central Americans who can retain it, the legislature's President Gustavo Porras said.



Many Nicaraguans hold dual citizenship, often with the United States. The Ortega government has stripped Nicaraguan citizenship from over 400 individuals, according to opposition group Monitoreo Azul y Blanco, including 222 political and social leaders who Ortega deported to the U.S. in February 2023.