# Co-presidents of Nicaragua

The co-presidents of Nicaragua (Spanish: Co-presidentes de Nicaragua), officially known as the presidency of the Republic of Nicaragua (Spanish: Presidencia de la República de Nicaragua), are the heads of state and government of Nicaragua.
The office was created in the Constitution of 1854. From 1825 until the Constitution of 1839, the head of state of Nicaragua was styled simply as Head of State (Jefe de Estado), and from 1839 to 1854 as Supreme Director (Supremo Director).
In 2025, the Constitution of Nicaragua was amended to provide for the powers of the presidency to be exercised by two co-presidents rather than a single officeholder. A male and female co-president are elected by universal suffrage to a six-year term. When the amendment was passed, the incumbent president Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice-president Rosario Murillo were declared to be the inaugural co-presidents. Ortega had previously served as president since 2007.

## Constitutional basis

In 2009, the Supreme Court of Nicaragua ruled that the constitutional ban on immediate reelection was unenforceable. In 2014, the National Assembly amended the constitution to allow the President to run for an unlimited number of five-year terms.
In 2025, the assembly extended the presidential term to six years and declared incumbent president Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, co-presidents. The revised constitution provides for the powers of the presidency to be exercised by a male and female co-president elected by universal suffrage. Candidates for election must have resided in Nicaragua for at least six years prior to the election, must hold only Nicaraguan nationality, and must not have been declared "traitors to the homeland" (Spanish: traidores a la patria). The qualifications effectively disqualified leading opposition candidates from standing for election, as they had been exiled and stripped of their citizenship in February 2023.

## Heads of state of Nicaragua
### Heads of the state of Nicaragua within the Federal Republic of Central America (1822–1838)

| Name | Political party | Dates in office | Notes |
| Manuel Antonio de la Cerda | Conservative Federalist | 22 April 1825 – 22 April 1826 | 1st time, from León. |
| Juan Argüello | Liberal Federalist | 22 April 1826 – 14 September 1827 | 1st time, from León. |
| Pedro Benito Pineda | Conservative Federalist | 17 September 1826 – 26 February 1827 | In rebellion, from Granada. |
| Manuel Antonio de la Cerda | Conservative Federalist | 27 February 1827 – 7 November 1828 | In rebellion, 2nd time. |
| Pedro Oviedo | Liberal Federalist | 14 September 1827 – December 1827 | Provisional, from Chinandega, León and Granada. |
| Liberal Juntas | Liberal Federalist | December 1827 – August 1828 | From León and Granada. |
| Juan Argüello | Liberal Federalist | 5 August 1828 – November 1829 | 2nd time, from León. |
| Juan Espinosa | Liberal Federalist | 8 November 1829 – 10 May 1830 | Acting. |
| Dionisio de Herrera | Liberal Federalist | 10 May 1830 – December, 1833 | |
| Benito Morales | Legitimist | December, 1833 – 10 March 1834 | Acting. |
| José Núñez | Legitimist | 10 March 1834 – 23 April 1835 | |
| José Zepeda | Liberal Federalist | 23 April 1835 – 25 January 1837 | Assassinated. |
| José Núñez | Legitimist | 25 January 1837 – 12 January 1838 | 2nd time, acting. |
| Francisco Jiménez Rubio | Legitimist | 12 January 1838 – 13 March 1838 | Acting. |
| José Núñez | Legitimist | 13 March 1838 – 30 April 1838 | 3rd time. |

### Supreme directors (1838–1854)

| Name | Political party | Dates in office | Notes |
| José Núñez | Legitimist | 30 April 1838 – 5 January 1839 | First Transitional Government |
| Joaquín del Cossío | Legitimist | ? 1839 – 15 May 1839 | Second Transitional Government |
| Evaristo Rocha | Legitimist | 5 January – 30 June 1839 | Second Transitional Government, Acting |
| Patricio Rivas | Democratic | 30 June 1839 – 27 July 1839 | Second Transitional Government, Acting |
| Joaquín del Cossío | Legitimist | 27 July 1839 – 20 October 1839 | Second Transitional Government |
| Hilario Ulloa | Legitimist | 20 October 1839 – 7 November 1839 | Acting |
| Tomás Valladares | Democratic | 7 November 1839 – 21 September 1840 | Acting |
| Patricio Rivas | Democratic | 21 September 1840 – 4 March 1841 | Acting |
| Pablo Buitrago | Legitimist | 4 March 1841 – 1 April 1843 | 1841 Nicaraguan Supreme Director Elections |
| Juan de Dios Orozco | Legitimist | 1 April 1843 – 31 May 1843 | Acting |
| Manuel Pérez | Democratic | 31 May 1843 – 4 November 1844 | Elected by Parliament, resigned due to Salvadoran Invasion |
| Emiliano Madriz | Democratic | 4 November 1844 – 24 January 1845 | Acting until 26 December, then Interim in León |
| Silvestre Selva | Legitimist | 16 December 1844 – 20 January 1845 | Appointed by invading forces of Francisco Malespín, in Masaya |
| Blas Antonio Sáenz | Legitimist | 20 January – 4 April 1845 | Provisional in Masaya until January 24, Acting until elections |
| José León Sandoval | Republican | 4 April 1845 – 12 March 1847 | 1845 Nicaraguan Supreme Director Elections |
| Miguel Ramón Morales | Legitimist | 12 March – 6 April 1847 | Acting |
| José María Guerrero | Republican | 6 April 1847 – 1 January 1849 | Lost the 1847 Nicaraguan Supreme Director Elections, but Legislative Assembly appointed him unanimously |
| Toribio Terán | Legitimist | 1 January – 8 March 1849 | Acting |
| Benito Rosales | Legitimist | 8 March – 1 April 1849 | Acting |
| Norberto Ramírez | Legitimist | 1 April 1849 – 1 April 1851 | 1849 Nicaraguan Supreme Director Elections |
| Justo Abaunza | Legitimist | 1 April – 5 May 1851 | Provisional Government in León. 1st time, Acting Senator. |
| Laureano Pineda | Democratic | 5 May – 4 August 1851 | 1st time. Deposed by José Trinidad Muñoz's military coup. |
| Justo Abaunza | Legitimist | 4 August – 11 November 1851 | 2nd time. Acting senator under the authority of José Trinidad Muñoz, General in Chief, leader of the military coup. |
| Laureano Pineda | Democratic | 5–11 August 1851 | In dissent, 2nd time. |
| José Francisco del Montenegro | Legitimist | 5–11 August 1851 | Government in Granada, died after assuming command. |
| José de Jesús Alfaro | Democratic | 11 August – 2 November 1851 | In dissent. Government in Granada, Acting Senator. |
| Fulgencio Vega | Legitimist | 11 November 1851 – 1852, | Appointed by the Assembly with the support of: Fruto Chamorro Brigadier General, victorious against José Trinidad Muñoz. |
| Laureano Pineda | Democratic | 11 November 1851 – 1 April 1853 | In rebellion until 2 November 1851. 3rd time. |
| Fruto Chamorro | Legitimist | 1 April 1853 – 30 April 1854 | Government in Granada. |
| Francisco Castellón | Democratic | 11 June 1854 – 2 September 1855 | Provisional in rebellion, from León to 1 April 1855. |
| Nazario Escoto | Democratic | 2 September – 30 October 1855 | Provisional in rebellion, from León. |

### Presidents of the Republic of Nicaragua (1854–present)

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party (at time of election) | Election | Ref. |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party (at time of election) | Election | Ref. |
| 1 | | Fruto Chamorro (1804–1855) | 30 April 1854 | 12 March 1855 | 316 days | Conservative | – | |
| — | | José María Estrada (1802–1856) Acting | 12 March 1855 | 22 October 1855 | 224 days | Conservative | – | |
| — | | Patricio Rivas (1810–1867) Provisional | 30 October 1855 | 24 June 1857 | 224 days | Democratic | 1856 | |
| — | | William Walker (1824–1860) Usurper | 12 July 1856 | 1 May 1857 | 293 days | Democratic | – | |
| — | | Government Junta Máximo Jerez and Tomás Martínez | 24 June 1857 | 15 November 1857 | 144 days | Non partisan | – | |
| 2 | | Tomás Martínez (1820–1873) | 15 November 1857 | 1 March 1867 | 9 years, 106 days | Conservative | 1857 1863 | |
| 3 | | Fernando Guzmán Solórzano (1812–1891) | 1 March 1867 | 1 March 1871 | 4 years | Conservative | 1867 | |
| 4 | | José Vicente Cuadra (1812–1894) | 1 March 1871 | 1 March 1875 | 4 years | Conservative | 1871 | |
| 5 | | Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Alfaro (1818–1890) | 1 March 1875 | 1 March 1879 | 4 years | Conservative | 1875 | |
| 6 | | Joaquín Zavala (1835–1906) | 1 March 1879 | 1 March 1883 | 4 years | Conservative | 1879 | |
| 7 | | Adán Cárdenas (1836–1916) | 1 March 1883 | 1 March 1887 | 4 years | Conservative | 1883 | |
| 8 | | Evaristo Carazo (1821–1889) | 1 March 1887 | 1 August 1889 | 2 years, 153 days | Conservative | 1887 | |
| – | | Nicolás Osorno (1845–1918) Acting | 1 August 1889 | 5 August 1889 | 4 days | Conservative | – | – |
| – | | Roberto Sacasa (1840–1896) Acting | 5 August 1889 | 1 January 1891 | 1 year, 149 days | Conservative | – | |
| 9 | | Ignacio Chaves Tellería (1836–1925) | 1 January 1891 | 1 March 1891 | 59 days | Conservative | – | – |
| 10 | | Roberto Sacasa (1840–1896) | 1 March 1891 | 11 July 1893 | 2 years, 132 days | Conservative | – | |
| – | | Salvador Machado (1838–1925) Acting | 11 July 1893 | 15 July 1893 | 4 days | Conservative | – | – |
| – | | Joaquín Zavala (1835–1906) Acting | 16 July 1893 | 25 July 1893 | 9 days | Conservative | – | |
| 11 | | José Santos Zelaya (1853–1919) | 25 July 1893 | 21 December 1909 | 16 years, 149 days | Liberal | 1902 1906 | |
| – | | José Madriz (1867–1911) Acting | 21 December 1909 | 20 August 1910 | 242 days | Liberal | – | |
| – | | José Dolores Estrada (1869–1939) Acting | 20 August 1910 | 27 August 1910 | 7 days | Liberal | – | – |
| – | | Luis Mena (1865–1928) Acting | 27 August 1910 | 30 August 1910 | 3 days | Conservative | – | – |
| – | | Juan José Estrada (1872–1967) Acting | 30 August 1910 | 9 May 1911 | 252 days | Liberal | – | |
| 12 | | Adolfo Díaz (1875–1964) | 9 May 1911 | 1 January 1917 | 5 years, 237 days | Conservative | 1912 1914 | |
| 13 | | Emiliano Chamorro Vargas (1871–1966) | 1 January 1917 | 1 January 1921 | 4 years | Conservative | 1916 | |
| 14 | | Diego Manuel Chamorro (1861–1923) | 1 January 1921 | 12 October 1923 † | 2 years, 284 days | Conservative | 1920 | |
| – | | Rosendo Chamorro (1862–1947) Acting | 12 October 1923 | 27 October 1923 | 15 days | Conservative | – | – |
| 15 | | Bartolomé Martínez (1873–1936) | 27 October 1923 | 1 January 1925 | 1 year, 66 days | Conservative | – | |
| 16 | | Carlos José Solórzano (1860–1936) | 1 January 1925 | 14 March 1926 | 1 year, 72 days | Conservative | 1924 | |
| (13) | | Emiliano Chamorro Vargas (1871–1966) De facto | 14 March 1926 | 11 November 1926 | 242 days | Conservative | – | |
| – | | Sebastián Uriza (1861–?) Acting | 11 November 1926 | 14 November 1926 | 3 days | Conservative | – | – |
| (12) | | Adolfo Díaz (1875–1964) | 14 November 1926 | 1 January 1929 | 2 years, 293 days | Conservative | 1926 | |
| 17 | | José María Moncada (1870–1945) | 1 January 1929 | 1 January 1933 | 4 years | PLN | 1928 | |
| 18 | | Juan Bautista Sacasa (1874–1946) | 1 January 1933 | 9 June 1936 | 3 years, 160 days | PLN | 1932 | |
| – | | Carlos Alberto Brenes (1884–1942) Acting | 9 June 1936 | 1 January 1937 | 206 days | PLN | – | |
| 19 | | Anastasio Somoza García (1896–1956) | 1 January 1937 | 1 May 1947 | 10 years, 120 days | PLN | 1936 | |
| 20 | | Leonardo Argüello Barreto (1875–1947) | 1 May 1947 | 26 May 1947 | 25 days | PLN | 1947 (Feb) | |
| – | | Benjamín Lacayo Sacasa (1893–1959) Acting | 26 May 1947 | 15 August 1947 | 81 days | PLN | – | |
| 21 | | Víctor Manuel Román y Reyes (1872–1950) | 15 August 1947 | 6 May 1950 | 25 days | PLN | 1947 (Aug) | |
| – | | Manuel Fernando Zurita (?–?) Acting | 6 May 1950 | 7 May 1950 | 1 day | PLN | – | – |
| (19) | | Anastasio Somoza García (1896–1956) | 7 May 1950 | 29 September 1956 † | 6 years, 145 days | PLN | 1950 | |
| 22 | | Luis Somoza Debayle (1922–1967) | 29 September 1956 | 1 May 1963 | 6 years, 214 days | PLN | 1957 | |
| 23 | | René Schick (1909–1966) | 1 May 1963 | 3 August 1966 † | 3 years, 94 days | PLN | 1963 | |
| – | | Orlando Montenegro Medrano (1920–1988) Acting | 3 August 1966 | 4 August 1966 | 1 day | PLN | – | – |
| 24 | | Lorenzo Guerrero (1900–1981) | 4 August 1966 | 1 May 1967 | 271 days | PLN | – | |
| 25 | | Anastasio Somoza Debayle (1925–1980) | 1 May 1967 | 1 May 1972 | 5 years | PLN | 1967 | |
| – | | Liberal-Conservative Junta | 1 May 1972 | 1 December 1974 | 2 years, 214 days | Non partisan | – | – |
| (25) | | Anastasio Somoza Debayle (1925–1980) | 1 December 1974 | 17 July 1979 | 4 years, 228 days | PLN | 1974 | |
| – | | Francisco Urcuyo (1915–2001) Acting | 17 July 1979 | 18 July 1979 | 1 day | PLN | – | |
| – | | Junta of National Reconstruction (Coordinator: Daniel Ortega) | 18 July 1979 | 10 January 1985 | 5 years, 176 days | Non partisan | – | – |
| 26 | | Daniel Ortega (born 1945) | 10 January 1985 | 25 April 1990 | 5 years, 105 days | FSLN | 1984 | |
| 27 | | Violeta Chamorro (born 1929) | 25 April 1990 | 10 January 1997 | 6 years, 260 days | UNO | 1990 | |
| 28 | | Arnoldo Alemán (born 1946) | 10 January 1997 | 10 January 2002 | 5 years | PLC | 1996 | |
| 29 | | Enrique Bolaños (1928–2021) | 10 January 2002 | 10 January 2007 | 5 years | PLC APRE | 2001 | |
| (26) | | Daniel Ortega (born 1945) Co-president | 10 January 2007 | Incumbent | 18 years, 62 days | FSLN | 2006 2011 2016 2021 | – |
| 30 | | Rosario Murillo (born 1951) Co-president | 18 February 2025 | Incumbent | 23 days | FSLN | – | – |

## Latest election

| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| | Daniel Ortega | Sandinista National Liberation Front | 2,093,834 | 75.87 |
| | Walter Espinoza | Constitutionalist Liberal Party | 395,406 | 14.33 |
| | Guillermo Osorno | Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path | 89,853 | 3.26 |
| | Marcelo Montiel | Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance | 85,711 | 3.11 |
| | Gerson Gutiérrez | Alliance for the Republic | 48,429 | 1.75 |
| | Mauricio Orué | Independent Liberal Party | 46,510 | 1.69 |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,759,743 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,759,743 | 94.47 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 161,687 | 5.53 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,921,430 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 4,476,601 | 65.26 |
| Source: CSE, adam-carr |||||