Daniel Ortega

Daniel Ortega Saavedra (1945-) was President of Nicaragua from 1985-1990, during the Sandinista? goverment, and is leader of the Sandinista party. He came to power in the 1980s when he was elected after overthrowing the US-backed Somoza dictatorship. The United States supported far right wing rebels operating against him out of Honduras, and illegally mined Nicaragua's harbours. (Out of these events developed the Iran-Contra Affair and the [Nicaragua v. United States]? judgement of the International Court of Justice). He was largely popular with the Nicaraguan people, but his support declined over the years due to tiredness with the war with the rebels. As a result he was voted out of office in 1990. He stood for election again in 1996 and Nov 2001, and lost on both occasions. His loss in the 2001 election can be attributed to a number of factors: allegations of corruption made against him in relation to the last days of his government in the 1990s, allegations made by his stepdaughter that he sexually abused her when she was 11, and U.S. interference in the election campaign.