In a controversial move, Nicaraguan authorities swore in more than 1,400 masked civilians on Friday as part of a newly formed "volunteer" police force. Human rights groups and opposition figures have expressed alarm, claiming the initiative could institutionalize paramilitary groups loyal to President Daniel Ortega's government.

Over the past three days, more than 4,000 civilians have been inducted into the force nationwide, according to official reports. These developments come amid constitutional changes approved by the government-controlled legislature, consolidating power in the hands of Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.

At the swearing-in ceremony in the northern city of Ocotal, National Police Chief Francisco Diaz described the recruits as civilians committed to "defending peace and security" alongside existing police forces. However, critics allege that many of these individuals were involved in the violent suppression of anti-government protests in 2018, which left hundreds dead and thousands exiled.

Gioconda Belli, a prominent opposition voice and poet currently in exile in Spain, criticized the move on social media, stating, "Without any scruples, Ortega and Murillo make 1,500 paramilitaries swear loyalty to them with their faces covered by balaclavas. A lawless, repressive army that has been given constitutional status."

The new force is set to be formalized in the coming weeks, raising fears of increased repression in a country already under scrutiny for human rights abuses. Critics argue that this development signals Ortega's further entrenchment of authoritarian control in Nicaragua.