Reuters —The Nicaraguan parliament, dominated by the ruling Sandinista Front, on Friday approved a constitutional reform that hands more power to President Daniel Ortega as well as the Central American nation’s police and military. The two have been married since 2005 and she was made vice president in 2017. Under the new reform, the co-presidents will have control over the legislature, judiciary and electoral, public administration, and oversight bodies as well as autonomous entities. Government critics have said the reforms legalize the “absolute power” already exercised for years by Ortega and Murillo. “If adopted, these changes will sound the death knell for fundamental freedoms and rule of law in Nicaragua,” he said in a statement.

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Persons: Daniel Ortega, “, Rosario Murillo, Ortega, ”, Murillo, Gustavo Porras, Human Rights Volker Turk Organizations: Reuters, Nicaraguan, Sandinista, Central American nation’s, Government, of American, UN, Human Rights Locations: United States, of American States, Nicaragua