“Costa Rica reiterates its call for respect for human rights, the rule of law and the right of the Nicaraguan people to freely decide their future through electoral processes that guarantee political pluralism and the conditions necessary for a genuine democracy,” the ministry said in its statement.

Officials added that Costa Rica will support a firm and coordinated response within the framework of the Organization of American States, or OAS, and at the upcoming Meeting of Foreign Ministers, which was convened to address the serious situation in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua’s Congress on Tuesday passed a constitutional reform that bans opposition parties from participating in elections and extends the presidential term from six to seven years. The reform also extends the terms of co-presidents and other elected officials, as well as the heads of the army and police, from six to seven years.

Following Nicaragua’s actions against free presidential elections, OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin urged governments across the hemisphere to “take action” and put forward “concrete proposals” to increase coordinated political and diplomatic pressure on the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.

In an interview with the Esta Semana news journal, Ramdin expressed concern that the constitutional reform promoted by the Ortega government is aimed at completely dismantling the opposition’s ability to participate in the country’s political life.

“We expect that ministers, apart from the symbolism, can make decisions individually and collectively to punish, to put more pressure on Nicaragua,” the OAS secretary general said.

In July, Costa Rica also expressed its rejection of statements by Nicaraguan authorities suggesting that the country could eliminate presidential elections.

In a statement, Costa Rica reiterated its deep concern over what it described as the systematic closure of civic space and the continued persecution of dissenting voices in Nicaragua.

Costa Rican authorities noted that the government has not recognized Nicaragua’s 2021 presidential election, in which Ortega won re-election, as a democratic process.

Ortega, a former guerrilla leader, has governed Nicaragua since 2007 amid repeated international allegations of electoral fraud.

Since 2017, he has governed alongside his wife, Rosario Murillo, who served as vice president before becoming co-president following a constitutional reform that took effect in February 2025.

Costa Rica is a stable constitutional democratic republic, highlighted by the abolition of its military in 1948, regular and credible elections, and a strong independent judiciary.

Costa Rican Democracy Day is celebrated every year on November 7. It honors the 1889 defense of the vote, the 1949 Constitution, and the 1989 creation of the Constitutional Chamber.

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