The Nicaraguan government rejected Paraguay’s criticism of the constitutional reform approved in the Central American country and defended its sovereignty in a response that resulted in a public exchange of criticism between the two governments.
Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had expressed “deep concern” about the changes promoted by President Daniel Ortega’s government. In Asunción’s view, the reform restricts political participation and could undermine the holding of free elections.
In the same statement, Paraguay reaffirmed its defense of democratic values and Nicaraguans’ right to freely choose their authorities, citing the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. According to Paraguay’s stated position, the regional instrument supports countries speaking out when institutional changes could affect political participation and elections.
In a note addressed to Paraguay’s foreign ministry, Nicaragua’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the assessment and said the country’s internal political process should not be questioned by foreign governments. Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Valdrack Jaentschke said: “The sovereignty of a people is not up for discussion, much less can it be questioned by other countries with serious problems of legitimacy and unity.”
The response ended with the phrase “Nicaragua triumphs in peace and security,” indicating that Managua presents the reform as an internal decision, while Asunción assesses it through the lens of regional democratic commitments.
The episode exposes, in the interpretation presented by each government, a disagreement over the boundaries between national sovereignty and inter-American commitments. For Paraguay, the Inter-American Democratic Charter allows countries in the region to speak out when institutional changes could affect political participation and elections; for Nicaragua, the criticism represents interference in its constitutional process.