Nicaragua constitutional changes a red flag for Panama activists

PROPOSED amendments to the Constitution of Nicaragua have civil rights groups , concerned about Supreme Court involvement in election issues, wondering if Panama may be on the same track.

The Nicaragua amendments would allow the indefinite reelection of the president and the appointment of active military personnel to state positions.

Among other significant changes reported in an article in Eluniversal.com are that "the president is given the authority to legislate in administrative matters, according to the text of the reforms. This power was prohibited by Article 150 of the Constitution which governs Nicaraguans today."

In the draft reform, paragraph four of Article 150 of the Constitution, referring to the powers of the President – , reads: "To [be able to] issue executive decrees with the force of law in administrative matters" .

" … The reform opens the opportunity for military personnel on active duty to occupy state positions. Article 152 of the proposed reform indicates that official on active military duty can be named as state officials on condition of secondment. "

Opposition lawyer Gabriel Alvarez, an expert on constitutional matters, said the reforms "give Ortega 'embracing powers' through mechanisms such as the so-called 'direct democracy' and 'partnership model' , concepts that the proposed amendments raise to constitutional level, creating entities like the 'family cabinets', among other popular institutions . "