Daniel Ortega

Daniel Ortega Saavedra (born 11 November 1945) was the president of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990. For much of his life he has been an important leader in the Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional or FSLN).

Rise to power

Ortega was born to a middle-class family in La Libertad, Nicaragua. His parents were active in opposition to the regime of Anastasio Somoza Debayle, and he was arrested for his own political activities as early as age 15. In 1963 he attended the University of Central America, Managua in Managua and quickly joined the then-underground FSLN. By 1967 he became a leader in the FSLN, in charge of the urban guerilla campaign, but shortly after that he was arrested. He remained in prison until 1974, when he was released in exchange for hostages held by the FSLN. He immediately visited Cuba, a major source of aid for the Sandinistas, and returned to his role as guerrilla commander.

Related Topics:
La Libertad, Nicaragua - Anastasio Somoza Debayle - University of Central America, Managua - Managua - Guerilla - Cuba

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When Somoza was overthrown by the FSLN in July 1979, Ortega became a member of the five-person Junta of National Reconstruction, which also included Sandinista militant Moisés Hassan, novelist Sergio Ramírez Mercado, businessman Alfonso Robelo Callejas, and journalist Violeta Barrios de Chamorro (associated with the newspaper La Prensa). The FSLN came to dominate the junta, Robelo and Chamorro resigned, and Ortega became the de facto ruler of the country.

Related Topics:
Junta of National Reconstruction - Moisés Hassan - Sergio Ramírez Mercado - Alfonso Robelo Callejas - Violeta Barrios de Chamorro - La Prensa - De facto

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In November 1984 Ortega called national elections and won the presidency with 63% of the vote, taking office on January 10, 1985. The election was boycotted by most of the opposition and the results were rejected as fraudulent by the Catholic Church and the Reagan administration in the United States; however, many international observers declared the election to be relatively fair.

Related Topics:
Boycotted - Catholic Church - Reagan

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For more details on Ortega?s presidency, see Sandinista National Liberation Front.

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