Difference between revisions of "Daniel Ortega"
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| − | '''Daniel Ortega''' (b. 1945) came to power in [[Nicaragua]] by overthrowing the Somoza dynasty. <ref>As one of the leading commanders of the Sandinista forces that ousted Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in July 1979, he became head of the ruling junta in the subsequent leftist regime. In disputed elections in November 1984, he was elected president. [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/18/interviews/ortega/ (CNN)] </ref> | + | '''Daniel Ortega''' (b. 1945) came to power in [[Nicaragua]] by overthrowing the Somoza dynasty and enforcing a [[Communist]] region on the country. <ref>As one of the leading commanders of the Sandinista forces that ousted Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in July 1979, he became head of the ruling junta in the subsequent leftist regime. In disputed elections in November 1984, he was elected president. [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/18/interviews/ortega/ (CNN)] </ref> |
| − | + | The [[Contras]] rose up to defy his dicatatorship and were supported by United States President [[Ronald Reagan]] including covertly diverting funds to their cause that created the [[Iran-Contra affair]]. | |
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| + | An inability of the Sandanistas to defeat the Contras caused Ortega to call the first free and open elections in Nicaragua since the Communists seized power for 1990. Although he was heavily favored to win, in a shocking turn of events he was defeated in an election for the Presidency of Nicaragua by [[Violetta Chamorro]] in 1990. Ortega stepped down with the defeat, but left much of his power structure behind that would make it difficult for the new government. | ||
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| + | Ortega never completely left the political scene and ran and lost again for President in 1996 and 2001, but 16 years later after his initial defeat, he became president of Nicaragua again, this time democratically, after winning the election held on November 5th, 2006. He was aided by a change to the rules that a candidate only needed 35% of the vote to avoid a runoff instead of the previous 45%. He campaigned as the candidate of peace and that land grabbing and attacking the church would no longer be a part of his future as it was his past.<ref>[http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/blumenthal]</ref> | ||
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== References == | == References == | ||
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[[Category:Heads of state]] | [[Category:Heads of state]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Nicaragua]] | ||
Revision as of 20:24, January 16, 2008
Daniel Ortega (b. 1945) came to power in Nicaragua by overthrowing the Somoza dynasty and enforcing a Communist region on the country. [1] The Contras rose up to defy his dicatatorship and were supported by United States President Ronald Reagan including covertly diverting funds to their cause that created the Iran-Contra affair.
An inability of the Sandanistas to defeat the Contras caused Ortega to call the first free and open elections in Nicaragua since the Communists seized power for 1990. Although he was heavily favored to win, in a shocking turn of events he was defeated in an election for the Presidency of Nicaragua by Violetta Chamorro in 1990. Ortega stepped down with the defeat, but left much of his power structure behind that would make it difficult for the new government.
Ortega never completely left the political scene and ran and lost again for President in 1996 and 2001, but 16 years later after his initial defeat, he became president of Nicaragua again, this time democratically, after winning the election held on November 5th, 2006. He was aided by a change to the rules that a candidate only needed 35% of the vote to avoid a runoff instead of the previous 45%. He campaigned as the candidate of peace and that land grabbing and attacking the church would no longer be a part of his future as it was his past.[2]