104-738: José Daniel Ortega Saavedra ( Spanish pronunciation: [daˈnjel oɾˈteɣa] ; born 11 November 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician and the 58th president of Nicaragua since 10 January 2007. Previously, he was leader of Nicaragua from 18 July 1979 to 25 April 1990, first as Coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction from 19 July 1979 to 10 January 1985, and then as the 54th president from 10 January 1985 to 25 April 1990. During his first term, he implemented policies to achieve leftist reforms across Nicaragua. In later years, Ortega's left-wing radical politics cooled significantly, leading him to pursue pro-business policies and even rapprochement with
208-696: A dictator . In June 2008, the Nicaraguan Supreme Court disqualified the MRS and the Conservative Party from participation in municipal elections. In November 2008, the Supreme Electoral Council received national and international criticism following irregularities in municipal elections, but agreed to review results for Managua only, while the opposition demanded a nationwide review. For the first time since 1990,
312-677: A campaign to crush the Sandinistas; individuals suspected of supporting the Front were targeted. The Front, named after Augusto César Sandino (a Nicaraguan rebel leader in the 1920s), began its guerrilla war against the Somozas in 1963. It received funds from the Soviet Union and Cuba under Fidel Castro . Support for the Sandinistas ballooned after the earthquake, especially when U.S. President Jimmy Carter withdrew American support for
416-547: A converted Curtiss C-46 . He took with him the caskets of his father and brother and, it is claimed, much of Nicaragua's national treasure. The country was left with $ 1.6 billion in foreign debt , the highest in Central America. After Somoza had fled, the Sandinistas found less than $ 2 million in the national treasury. Denied asylum in the U.S. by President Carter, Somoza later took refuge in Paraguay , then under
520-558: A court case. In 1998, she accused him of sexually abusing her as a child. When Somoza was overthrown by the FSLN in July 1979, Ortega became a member of the five-person Junta of National Reconstruction , which included Sandinista militant Moisés Hassan , novelist Sergio Ramírez , businessman Alfonso Robelo , and Violeta Barrios de Chamorro , the widow of a murdered journalist. In September 1979, United States President Carter hosted Ortega at
624-621: A daughter, Patricia. She was later sent to a series of schools abroad. On 10 December 1950, Somoza married Hope Portocarrero , an American citizen and his first cousin. Their wedding was held at the Cathedral in Managua and officiated by Archbishop Jose Antonio Lezcano. Over 4,000 guests attended the ceremony. The reception was given by Somoza's father, President Anastasio Somoza García, in the luxurious and modern Palacio de Comunicaciones. The couple had five children: Somoza and Hope attended
728-487: A few weeks after his brother's death. While Luis had ruled more gently than his father, Anastasio shared his father's cold intolerance of dissent. His rule soon resembled his father's in all significant respects, with harsh repression of dissent. On education Somoza in his memoirs states "My dream was to provide a University equal to any in the world so that those young men and women with special qualifications could achieve educational equivalency with any student in any part of
832-636: A leftist Nicaraguan priest who preached liberation theology and was later appointed as the Sandinista government's Minister of Culture). By the late 1970s, human rights groups were condemning the record of the Somoza government. Support for the Sandinistas was growing inside and outside the country. In July 1977, Somoza had a heart attack, and went to the US to recuperate. In 1975 Somoza Debayle launched
936-508: A literacy drive, and made health care improvements that ended polio through mass vaccinations, and reduced the frequency of other treatable diseases. The Sandinista nationalization efforts affected mostly banks and industries owned by the extended Somoza family. More than half of all farms, businesses, and industries remained in private hands. The revolutionary government wanted to preserve a mixed economy and support private sector investment. The Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) opposed
1040-521: A previous marriage. Ortega remarried Murillo in 2005 in order to have the marriage recognized by the Catholic Church, as part of his effort to reconcile with the church. The couple has eight children, three of them together. Murillo serves as the Ortega government's spokeswoman and a government minister, among other positions. Ortega adopted stepdaughter Zoilamérica Ortega Murillo in 1986, through
1144-486: A reference to the power that the FSLN still wielded in various sectors. He also stressed his belief that the Sandinistas had the goal of bringing "dignity" to Latin America, and not necessarily to hold on to government posts. In 1991, Ortega said elections were "an instrument to reaffirm" the FSLN's "political and ideological positions", and also "confront capitalism". However, the electoral loss led to pronounced divisions in
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#17327837134371248-534: A series of legislative acts known as "The Piñata ", estates that had been seized by the Sandinista government (some valued at millions and even billions of US dollars) became the private property of various FSLN officials, including Ortega himself. In the 1996 campaign, Ortega faced the Liberal Alliance (Alianza Liberal), headed by Arnoldo Aleman Lacayo , a former mayor of Managua. The Sandinistas softened their anti-imperialist rhetoric, with Ortega calling
1352-649: A variety of socially conservative policies; in 2006 the FSLN endorsed a strict law banning all abortions in Nicaragua. In the run-up to the 2006 elections, Ortega displayed his ties to the Catholic Church by renewing his marriage vows before Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo . Ortega was instrumental in creating the controversial strategic pact between the FSLN and the Constitutional Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, PLC). The controversial alliance of Nicaragua's two major parties
1456-451: A wide array of anti-Somoza forces, including Catholic and Protestant activists, and other non- Marxist civil society groups. The Terceristas became the most effective faction in wielding political and military strength, and their push for FSLN solidarity received the support of revolutionary leaders such as Fidel Castro . Ortega married Rosario Murillo in 1979 in a secret ceremony. They moved to Costa Rica with her three children from
1560-776: Is aimed at distributing power between the PLC and FSLN, and preventing other parties from rising. After sealing the agreement in January 2000, the two parties controlled the three key institutions of the state: the Comptroller General of the Republic, the Supreme Court , and the Supreme Electoral Council. "El Pacto", as it is known in Nicaragua, is said to have personally benefited former presidents Ortega and Alemán greatly, while constraining then-president Bolaños. One of
1664-404: The 2021 Nicaraguan general election , including Cristiana Chamorro Barrios . Ortega's government also imprisoned other opponents, such as former allies Dora María Téllez and Hugo Torres Jiménez . In August 2021, Nicaragua cancelled the operating permits of six US and European NGOs. Many critics of the Ortega government, including opposition leaders, journalists and members of civil society, fled
1768-580: The Bank of America . He told collaborators that they should be killed if they did not take part in the robbery. Ortega was released in late 1974, along with other Sandinista prisoners, in exchange for Somocista hostages. While imprisoned at the El Modelo jail, just outside Managua , Ortega wrote poems, one of which he titled "I Never Saw Managua When Miniskirts Were in Fashion". During his imprisonment, Ortega
1872-699: The CIA to begin financing, arming and training rebels as anti-Sandinista guerrillas, some of whom were former officers from Somoza's National Guard. These were known collectively as the Contras . This resulted in one of the largest political scandals in US history, (the Iran–Contra affair ). Oliver North and several members of the Reagan administration defied the Boland Amendment , selling arms to Iran and using
1976-565: The Carter administration for his downfall. His son, Anastasio Somoza Portocarrero , went into exile in Guatemala . Brian Latell, a former US National Intelligence Officer for Latin America and Cuba, argues in his book, After Fidel , that the plan to assassinate Somoza was devised in Havana, with direct input from Fidel Castro . According to him, the Sandinistas had won power in July 1979 with
2080-718: The Catholic Church . However, in 2022, Ortega resumed repression of the Church, and has imprisoned prelate Rolando José Álvarez Lagos . Ortega came to prominence with the overthrow and exile of US-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979 during the Nicaraguan Revolution . As a leader in the Sandinista National Liberation Front ( Spanish : Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional , FSLN) Ortega became leader of
2184-548: The Constitutionalist Liberal Party . Under Ortega's direction, the FSLN formed the broad National Convergence (Convergencia Nacional) coalition in opposition to the PLC. Ortega abandoned the revolutionary tone of the past, and infused his campaign with religious imagery, giving thanks in speeches to "God and the Revolution" for the post-1990 democracy, and said a Sandinista victory would enable
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#17327837134372288-533: The National Guard (Nicaragua's national army), by his father. The president had also appointed numerous family members and close personal friends to other important posts in his government. As commander of the Guard, the young Somoza was head of the nation's armed forces, effectively the second-most powerful man in Nicaragua. Two years after his return from West Point, Somoza Debayle had an affair and fathered
2392-532: The OAS reported that Ortega had engaged in a violent oppression campaign against the anti-Ortega 2018–2022 Nicaraguan protests . The violent crackdown and subsequent constriction of civil liberties have led to waves of emigration to neighboring Costa Rica, with more than 30,000 Nicaraguans filing for asylum in that country. In his fourth term, Ortega ordered the closure of several NGOs , universities, and newspapers. His government jailed many potential rival candidates in
2496-458: The Sandinista National Liberation Front (Spanish: Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional ; FSLN) were closing in on Managua in July 1979, Somoza fled Nicaragua. Power was ceded to the Junta of National Reconstruction . He was assassinated in 1980 while in exile in Paraguay . Somoza Debayle, nicknamed "Tachito" (Spanish: Little Tacho ) by his father, was born in 1925 as the third child of Anastasio Somoza García and Salvadora Debayle . At
2600-644: The US media —that it was a "Soviet-style sham" election. Some opposition parties boycotted the election, allegedly under pressure from US embassy officials, and so it was denounced as being unfair by the Reagan administration. Reagan thus maintained that he was justified to continue supporting what he referred to as the Contras' "democratic resistance". The illegal intervention of the Contras continued (albeit covertly) after Ortega's democratic election. Peace talks between five Central American heads of state in July 1987 led to
2704-617: The World Health Organization deemed Nicaragua a model for primary health care. During this period, Nicaragua won the UNESCO prize for exceptional health progress. In 1981, United States President Ronald Reagan accused the FSLN of joining with Soviet -backed Cuba in supporting Marxist revolutionary movements in other Latin American countries, such as El Salvador . People within the Reagan administration authorized
2808-433: The 1980s, Ortega has since embraced the Catholic Church's position of strong opposition. While non-emergency abortions have long been illegal in Nicaragua , recently even abortions "in the case where the pregnancy endangers the mother's life", otherwise known as therapeutic abortions have been made illegal in the days before the 2006 election, with a six-year prison term in such cases, too—a move supported by Ortega. Ortega
2912-500: The 2018 unrest, as president Ortega presided over "the fastest-growing economy in Central America" and was a "poster child for foreign investment and citizen security in a region known for gangs and unrest". During this time the Ortega government formed an alliance with the Superior Council for Private Enterprise (COSEP), Nicaragua's council of business chambers. However the same unpopular decree which "unilaterally overhauling
3016-557: The Asamblea Sandinista (Sandinista Assembly). Ramirez had been chief of the FSLN's parliamentary caucus since 1990, but Ortega came to oppose his actions in the National Assembly , setting the stage for Ramirez's removal. Historic leaders, such as Ernesto Cardenal , a former minister of culture in the Sandinista government, rejected Ortega's consolidation of power: "My resignation from the FSLN has been caused by
3120-560: The Brazilian newspaper Gazeta Mercantil estimated that the Somoza family's fortune amounted to between $ 2 billion and $ 4 billion with its head, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, owning $ 1 billion. At the time he fled the country, he reportedly personally controlled 22 percent of the agricultural land of Nicaragua. Somoza was the subject of the 1983 film Last Plane Out , in which he was portrayed by actor Lloyd Battista . The film chronicles journalist Jack Cox's journey to Nicaragua, when Somoza
3224-497: The Contra war over, he could focus on the nation's recovery. Contrary to what most observers expected, Chamorro shocked Ortega and won the election. Chamorro's UNO coalition garnered 54% of the vote, and won 51 of the 92 seats in the National Assembly . Immediately after the loss, the Sandinistas tried to maintain unity around their revolutionary posture. In Ortega's concession speech the following day he vowed to keep "ruling from below"
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3328-566: The Council decided not to allow national or international observers to witness the election. Instances of intimidation, violence, and harassment of opposition political party members and NGO representatives have been recorded. Official results show Sandinista candidates winning 94 of the 146 municipal mayoralties, compared to 46 for the main opposition Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC). The opposition claimed that marked ballots were dumped and destroyed, that party members were refused access to some of
3432-511: The DN no longer met routinely, and only three historic members remained. Instead, the body just supported decisions already made by the secretary-general. Ortega sidelined party officials and other members while empowering his own informal circle, known as the ring of iron. In the November 2001 general elections, Ortega lost his third successive presidential election, this time to Enrique Bolaños of
3536-497: The FSLN (Sandinista Front) "did little more to take advantage of its incumbency than incumbent parties everywhere (including the U.S.) routinely do". However, the Reagan administration described the elections as "a Soviet-style sham", and contemporary North-American press coverage tended to cast doubt on the election's legitimacy. Thirty-three per cent of the Nicaraguan voters cast ballots for one of six opposition parties—three to
3640-611: The FSLN's future depended on implementing new plans, "so that the party can advance via new routes and in new ways, always under Ortega's leadership". Ortega gained power over the selection of candidates, allowing him to personally choose all candidates for public office. During an interview with David Frost for the Al Jazeera English programme Frost Over the World in March 2009, Ortega suggested that he would like to change
3744-432: The FSLN. Some members adopted more pragmatic positions, and sought to transform the FSLN into a modern social democratic party engaged in national reconciliation and class cooperation. Ortega and other party insiders found common ground with the radicals, who still promoted anti-imperialism and class conflict to achieve social change. Possible explanations for his loss include that the Nicaraguan people were disenchanted with
3848-527: The Israeli regime to call back a ship carrying weapons vital to the survival of the Somoza regime. Because of Somoza's status, most of his family members were forced to flee into Honduras , Guatemala , and the United States. It is uncertain where the surviving Somozas live; they changed their names to protect their own lives. On July 17, 1979, Somoza resigned from the presidency and fled to Miami in
3952-592: The LaSalle Institute, where Ortega was classmates with Arnoldo Aleman , who would go on to be mayor of Managua (1990–1995) and later President of Nicaragua (1997–2002). Ortega's father Daniel Ortega Cedra detested US military intervention in Nicaragua and Washington's support for the Somoza government. He imparted this anti-American sentiment to his sons. From an early age, Ortega opposed Nicaragua's president Anastasio Somoza Debayle , and became involved in
4056-469: The National Cathedral. Somoza also allegedly exported freshly imported emergency blood plasma abroad at the time of the earthquake, when most medical supplies in Nicaragua were desperately in short supply. Somoza was re-elected president in the 1974 election. By this time, the Catholic Church had begun to speak out against his government (one of his fiercest critics was Ernesto Cardenal ,
4160-514: The Nicaraguan people to "pass through the sea and reach the Promised Land". The US opposed Ortega's candidacy from the beginning. The US ambassador even appeared with the PLC's Enrique Bolaños while distributing food aid. The 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks doomed Ortega's chances, as the threat of a US invasion became an issue. Bolanos convinced many Nicaraguans that the renewed US hostility towards terrorism would endanger their country if
4264-584: The Nicaraguan supreme court ruled to oust Eduardo Montealegre , the leader of the main opposition party, leaving the main opposition coalition with no means of contesting the November 2016 national elections. In August 2016, Ortega chose his wife, Rosario Murillo , as his vice-presidential running-mate for re-election. According to The Washington Post , figures announced on November 7, 2016, put Daniel Ortega in line for his third consecutive term as president, also being his fourth term overall. The Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) reported Ortega and Murillo won 72.4% of
Daniel Ortega - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-573: The Ortega government as well as the fact that already in November 1989, the White House had announced that the economic embargo against Nicaragua would continue unless Violeta Chamorro won. Also, there had been reports of intimidation from the side of the contras, with a Canadian observer mission stating that 42 people were killed by the contras in "election violence" in October 1989. This led many commentators to assume that Nicaraguans voted against
4472-403: The Sandinista government launched the massive Nicaraguan Literacy Campaign and said the illiteracy rate fell from 50% to 13% in the span of five months. Robert F. Arnove said the figures were excessive because many "unteachable" illiterates were omitted from the statistics, and many people declared literate were found to be unable to read or write a simple sentence. Richard Kraft said that even if
4576-639: The Sandinista government's promise not to aid other guerrillas. The FSLN came to dominate the junta, Robelo and Chamorro resigned, and in 1981 Ortega became the coordinator of the Junta. As the only member of the FSLN National Directorate in the Junta, he was the effective leader of the country. After attaining power, the FSLN embarked upon an ambitious programme of social reform. They arranged to redistribute 20,000 square kilometres (5 million acres) of land to about 100,000 families; launched
4680-439: The Sandinista magistrates formed the required quorum by excluding the opposition magistrates and replacing them with Sandinista substitutes, violating the Nicaraguan constitution. Opposing parties, the church and human rights groups in Nicaragua denounced the decision. Throughout 2010, court rulings gave Ortega greater power over judicial and civil service appointments. While supporting abortion rights during his presidency during
4784-619: The Sandinista vote had a minuscule split between the FSLN and MRS, and that the liberal party combined is larger than the Frente Faction. In 2010, several liberal congressmen accused the FSLN of attempting to buy votes to pass constitutional reforms that would allow Ortega to run for office for the 6th time since 1984. According to Tim Rogers, writing in The Atlantic , during his second term as president, Ortega took "full control of all four branches of government, state institutions,
4888-415: The Sandinistas out of fear of a continuation of the contra war and economic deprivation. From 19 to 21 July 1991, the FSLN held a National Congress to mend the rifts between members and form a new overarching political program. The effort failed to unite the party, and intense debates over the internal governance of the FSLN continued. The pragmatists, led by the former vice president Sergio Ramirez , formed
4992-407: The Sandinistas signed an accord with opposition parties to reform electoral and campaign laws, making the process more fair and transparent. While campaigning, Ortega promoted the Sandinistas' achievements, and at a rally said that "Democracy is literacy, democracy is land reform, democracy is education and public health." International observers judged the election to be the first free election held in
5096-564: The Sandinistas' economic reform. The main organization of Nicaraguan big business was composed of prosperous families from the Pacific coast cities, who dominated commerce and banking. Ortega took a very hard line against opposition to his policies: On 21 February 1981, the Sandinista army killed 7 Miskito Indians and wounded 17. Ortega's administration forced displacement of many of the indigenous population: 10,000 individuals had been moved by 1982. Thousands of Indians fled to take refuge across
5200-526: The US "our great neighbor", and vowing to cooperate "within a framework of respect, equality, and justice". The image change failed, as Aleman's Liberal Alliance came first with 51.03% of the vote, while Ortega's FSLN secured 37.75%. Ortega's policies became more moderate during his time in opposition, and he gradually changed much of his former Marxist–Leninist stance in favor of an agenda of democratic socialism . His Roman Catholic faith has become more public in recent years as well, leading Ortega to embrace
5304-442: The United States and Europe. According to El Diario Nuevo and La Prensa , "Every morning the homeless, drunks, and poor people went to sell half a liter of blood for 35 (Nicaraguan) cordobas . On 23 December 1972, an earthquake struck the nation's capital, Managua , killing about 5,000 people and virtually destroying the city. The government declared martial law , and Somoza took over de jure as well as de facto control of
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#17327837134375408-520: The White House, and warned him against arming other Central American leftist guerrilla movements. At the time, Ortega spoke truthfully when he denied Sandinista involvement in neighboring countries. When Ortega questioned the Americans about CIA support for anti-Sandinista groups, Carter and Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher said the reports were false. After the meeting, Carter asked Congress for $ 75 million in aid to Nicaragua, contingent on
5512-496: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.150 via cp1114 cp1114, Varnish XID 932031488 Upstream caches: cp1114 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:48:33 GMT Anastasio Somoza Debayle Anastasio " Tachito " Somoza Debayle ( Spanish: [anasˈtasjo soˈmosa ðeˈβajle] ; 5 December 1925 – 17 September 1980)
5616-912: The age of seven, he was enrolled at the Instituto Pedagógico La Salle, run by the Christian Brothers . One of his classmates was Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Cardenal , who later became a journalist and publisher of La Prensa newspaper and one of the most prominent opponents of the Somoza dynasty. From the age of ten, Tachito was educated in the United States. During this period, their father became president of Nicaragua, and served from 1937 to 1947, and again from 1950 into 1956. He and older brother Luis Somoza Debayle both attended St. Leo College Prep (Florida) and La Salle Military Academy on Long Island. Somoza attended La Salle with Lt. Andrew Edward Tuck III, uncle of American television host Stephen Colbert , and would stay at
5720-489: The assistance of massive, covert Cuban military aid. Fidel and his brother Raúl Castro purportedly developed a complex, multinational covert action to provide the Sandinistas with huge quantities of modern armaments. Latell claims Cuban intelligence and paramilitary advisors poured into Nicaragua along with the equipment. He says the evidence indicated that Somoza's assassination was similar to other such operations in which Cuban intelligence had been involved. He says that Somoza
5824-558: The basis of a "renovating" faction, and supported collaboration with other political forces to preserve the rule of law in Nicaragua. Under the leadership of Ortega and Tomás Borge , the radicals regrouped into the "principled" faction, and branded themselves the Izquierda Democratica (ID), or Democratic Left (DL). The DL fought the Chamorro government with disruptive labor strikes and demonstrations, and renewed calls for
5928-553: The border in Honduras , and Ortega's government imprisoned 14,000 in Nicaragua. Anthropologist Gilles Bataillon termed this "politics of ethnocide" in Nicaragua. The Indians formed two rebel groups – the Misura and Misurasata. They were joined in the north by Nicaraguan Democratic Force (FDN) and in the south by former Sandinistas and peasantry who, under the leadership of Edén Pastora , were resisting forced collectivization. In 1980
6032-482: The commando team had considered the possibility that Somoza's vehicle might be equipped with armor panels in front. Worried that it could deflect the rocket projectile, they chose to make a lateral attack on the vehicle. Somoza was killed instantly and burned, along with his new driver, César Gallardo, and Somoza's financial advisor, Colombian citizen Jou Baittiner. Later media reports in Paraguay said that Somoza's body
6136-577: The constitution to allow him to run again for president. In Judicial Decision 504, issued on 19 October 2009, the Supreme Court of Justice of Nicaragua declared portions of Articles 147 and 178 of the Constitution of Nicaragua inapplicable; these provisions concerned the eligibility of candidates for president, vice-president, mayor, and vice-mayor—a decision that had the effect of allowing Ortega to run for reelection in 2011. For this decision,
6240-431: The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Following their father's assassination on 21 September 1956, Somoza's elder brother, Luis , took over the presidency. Anastasio also had a large hand in the government during this time; he helped ensure that the presidency was held by politicians loyal to his family from 1963 to 1967. Anastasio was elected president in his own right on 5 February 1967 and took office on 1 May,
6344-737: The country as head of the National Emergency Committee. He reportedly embezzled a large amount of money from funds sent to Nicaragua from around the world to help rebuild Managua. These reports were debunked by the U.S. House subcommittee on International Development March 9, 1978, stating "Since the 1972 earthquake, 28 major audits, two separate congressional staff surveys, and a General Accounting Office report on reconstruction activities have been completed. We are pleased to note that no diversion or misuse of official U.S. assistance has been revealed by these reports." Some parts of Managua have yet to be rebuilt or restored, including
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#17327837134376448-752: The country in mid-2021. After Ortega was re-elected in 2021, United States President Joe Biden banned him and his officials from entering the United States. Ortega was born in La Libertad in Chontales Department , Nicaragua, into a working-class family. His parents, Daniel Ortega Cerda and Lidia Saavedra, were opposed to the regime of Anastasio Somoza Debayle . Ortega's mother was imprisoned by Somoza's National Guard for being in possession of "love letters", which police said were coded political missives. Ortega and his two brothers grew up to become revolutionaries. His late brother Humberto Ortega
6552-553: The country in more than half a century. A report by an Irish governmentary delegation stated: "The electoral process was carried out with total integrity. The seven parties participating in the elections represented a broad spectrum of political ideologies." The general counsel of New York's Human Rights Commission described the election as "free, fair and hotly contested". A study by the US Latin American Studies Association (LASA) concluded that
6656-547: The elections. Ortega emphasized peace and reconciliation in his campaign, and selected a former Contra leader, Jaime Morales Carazo , as his running mate. The FSLN also won 38 seats in the congressional elections, becoming the party with the largest representation in parliament. The split in the Constitutionalist Liberal Party helped allow the FSLN to become the largest party in Congress; however,
6760-517: The estate and signaled when he was leaving at 10:10 am. Once in position, Hugo Irurzún ( Capitán Santiago ) readied the RPG-7. He tried to fire an anti-tank rocket at the car, but the RPG-7 misfired. Ramon shot the chauffeur while Irurzún quickly reloaded the RPG with a new rocket. The second rocket directly hit the sedan. Accounts said that the car's engine kept running after the rocket explosion. Previously,
6864-467: The estate. The commando team also utilized disinformation tactics to gain access into important residencies under the guise of a famous name, that being Julio Iglesias . They waited in ambush for Somoza in Avenida España. Somoza was often driven about the city in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan, which was believed to be unarmored. Team member Oswaldo, disguised as a paper boy, watched Somoza exit
6968-415: The family home in Larchmont during the holidays instead of returning to Nicaragua. This led to Somoza going on several dates with Andrew Edward's sister and Colbert's mother, Lorna. Somoza Debayle passed the examination for West Point, entered the United States Military Academy on July 3, 1943, and graduated on June 6, 1946. After his return to Nicaragua, Somoza Debayle was appointed chief of staff of
7072-427: The figures were exaggerated, the "accomplishment is without precedent in educational history". In 1980, UNESCO awarded Nicaragua the Nadezhda K. Krupskaya prize in recognition of its efforts. The FSLN also focused on improving the Nicaraguan health system, particularly through vaccination campaigns and the construction of public hospitals. These actions reduced child mortality by half, to 40 deaths per thousand. By 1982,
7176-491: The first few years of the war. At the 1984 general election Ortega won the presidency with 67% of the vote and took office on 10 January 1985. In the early phases of the campaign, Ortega enjoyed many institutional advantages, and used the full power of the press, police, and Supreme Electoral Council against the fractured opposition. In the weeks before the November election, Ortega gave a U.N. speech denouncing talks held in Rio de Janeiro on electoral reform. But by 22 October,
7280-446: The junta. Chamorro was supported by the US and a 14-party anti-Sandinista alliance known as the National Opposition Union (Unión Nacional Oppositora, UNO), an alliance that ranged from conservatives and liberals to communists. She ran an effective campaign, presenting herself as the peace candidate and promising to end the US-funded Contra War if she won. Ortega campaigned on the slogan, "Everything Will Be Better", and promised that, with
7384-414: The key accords of the pact was to lower the ratio necessary to win a presidential election in the first round from 45% to 35%, a change in electoral law that would become decisive in Ortega's favor in the 2006 elections. At the Fourth Ordinary Congress of the FSLN, held 17–18 March 2002, Ortega eliminated the National Directorate (DN). Once the main collective leadership body of the party, with nine members,
7488-453: The kidnapping of the party carried out by Daniel Ortega and the group he heads." The party formally split on 8 January 1995, when Ramirez and a number of prominent Sandinista officials quit. Ortega ran for election again, in October 1996 and November 2001, but lost on both occasions to Arnoldo Alemán and Enrique Bolaños , respectively. In these elections, a key issue was the allegation of corruption. In Ortega's last days as president, through
7592-504: The late 1970s, divisions over the FSLN's campaign against Somoza led Ortega and his brother Humberto to form the Insurrectionist, or Tercerista (Third Way) faction. The Terceristas sought to combine the distinct guerrilla war strategies of the two other factions, Tomás Borge 's Guerra Prolongada Popular (GPP, or Prolonged People's War ), and Jaime Wheelock's Proletarian Tendency . The Ortega brothers forged alliances with
7696-590: The left-wing governments of Nicaragua, led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front , and Cuba, led by the Communist Party of Cuba . But some commentators noted that the exiles in Miami were also relieved at Somoza's death. The newly founded Contra army, which consisted of many ex-members of Somoza's National Guard, would have had to give the impression of having no relation to the old Somoza regime, for purposes of public relations and world opinion. In 1979,
7800-560: The military, and police", and in the process dismantled "Nicaragua's institutional democracy". Frances Robles wrote that Ortega took control "every aspect of government ... the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, the armed forces, the judiciary, the police and the prosecutor's office". In its 2019 World Report, Human Rights Watch wrote that Ortega "aggressively dismantled all institutional checks on presidential power". Many journalists and governments criticize Ortega and label him
7904-506: The nine free-to-air television channels in Nicaragua, and controls a fourth (the public Channel 6). Four of the remaining five are controlled by Mexican mogul Ángel González , and are generally considered to be aligned with Ortega's ruling FSLN party. There are no government restrictions on Internet use; the Ortega administration attempted to gain complete control over online media in 2015, but failed due to opposition from civil society, political parties, and private organizations. In June 2016,
8008-529: The openly anti-US Ortega prevailed. Bolanos ended up with 56.3% of the vote, and Ortega won 42.3%. In 2006, Daniel Ortega was elected president with 38% of the vote. This occurred despite the fact that the breakaway Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) continued to oppose the FSLN, running former Mayor of Managua, Herty Lewites as its candidate for president. Ortega personally attacked Lewites ' Jewish background, compared him to Judas, and warned he "could end up hanged." However, Lewites died several months before
8112-579: The opposition Conservative while he retained control of the National Guard . Somoza and his triumvirate drew up a new constitution that was ratified by the triumvirate and the cabinet on April 3, 1971. He stepped down as president on May 1, 1972. However, as head of the National Guard, he remained the de facto ruler of the country. Anastasio Somoza and his son were both part owners of Plasmaferesis. The company collected blood plasma from up to 1,000 of Nicaragua's poorest persons every day for sale in
8216-406: The presidency and allowed a president to run for an unlimited number of five-year terms. While the FSLN claimed the amendments would assure the stability Nicaragua needed to deal with long-term problems, the opposition claimed they were a threat to democracy. The constitutional reforms also gave Ortega the sole power to appoint military and police commanders. As of 2016, Ortega's family owns three of
8320-588: The proceeds in order to secretly fund the Contras. The Contra war claimed 30,000 lives in Nicaragua. The tactics used by the Sandinista government to fight the Contras have been widely condemned for their suppression of civil rights. On 15 March 1982, the junta declared a state of siege, which allowed it to close independent radio stations, suspend the right of association, and limit the freedom of trade unions. Nicaragua's Permanent Commission on Human Rights condemned Sandinista human rights violations, accusing them of killing and forcibly disappearing thousands of persons in
8424-544: The regime for human rights reasons, including the televised murder of American journalist Bill Stewart by government soldiers. At this point, the opposition to the Somozas included not only Sandinistas, but other prominent figures such as publisher Pedro Chamorro (assassinated on January 10, 1978). Israel was the last nation to supply weapons to the Somoza regime. During the 1947–1949 Palestine war when Israel expelled 700,000 Palestinians, Somoza's father provided substantial financial support to Israel. President Carter forced
8528-465: The revolutionary reconstruction of Nicaraguan society. During the 20–23 May 1994, extraordinary congress, Ortega ran against a fellow National Directorate member, Henry Ruiz , for the position of party secretary-general. Ortega was elected with 287 to Ruiz's 147 votes, and the DL secured the most dominant role in the FSLN. On 9 September 1994, Ortega gained more power after taking over Sergio Ramirez's seat in
8632-443: The right of the Sandinistas, three to the left—which had campaigned with the aid of government funds and free TV and radio time. Two conservative parties captured a combined 23% of the vote. They held rallies across the country (a few of which were disrupted by FSLN supporters) and blasted the Sandinistas in harsh terms. Most foreign and independent observers noted this pluralism in debunking the Reagan administration charge—ubiquitous in
8736-596: The rule of Alfredo Stroessner . He bought a ranch and a gated house at Avenida España no. 433 in Asunción , the capital. The president of the Nicaraguan Chamber of Deputies, Francisco Urcuyo , took over as acting president, but lasted only a day before peacefully handing Managua to the Sandinistas. Little more than a year later, Somoza was shot dead in Asunción on September 17, 1980. He was 54 years old. He
8840-401: The ruling Junta of National Reconstruction . A Marxist–Leninist, Ortega pursued a program of nationalization, land reform , wealth redistribution , and literacy programs during his first period in office. Ortega's government was responsible for the forced displacement of 10,000 indigenous people. In 1984 , Ortega won Nicaragua's first ever free and fair presidential election with over 60% of
8944-528: The signing of the Central American Peace Accords , and the beginning of a roadmap to the end of the conflict. In 1988, the Contras first entered into peace talks with the Sandinista government, although the violence continued, as did their US support. Despite US opposition, disarmament of the Contras began in 1989. In the 1990 presidential election, Ortega lost his reelection bid to Violeta Barrios de Chamorro , his former colleague in
9048-500: The social-security tax system" (mentioned below) and precipitated the unrest in April 2018, also broke Ortega's arrangement with COSEP, and along with US sanctions, brought a sharp economic drop that as of mid-2020 is still "crippling" Nicaragua's economy. President Ortega's government has been the target of criticism for its lack of a response to the pandemic. President of Nicaragua Too Many Requests If you report this error to
9152-405: The team members said: "We cannot tolerate the existence of millionaire playboys while thousands of Latin Americans are dying of hunger. We are perfectly willing to give up our lives for this cause." The Sandinista team had researched and planned their assault over a time period of more than six months. The team studied Somoza's movements via a team member who was staked out at a newspaper kiosk near
9256-540: The then-underground Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in 1963. In 1964, Ortega travelled to Guatemala , where the police arrested him and turned him over to the Nicaraguan National Guard . After his release from detainment, Ortega arranged the assassination of his torturer, Guardsman Gonzalo Lacayo, in August 1967. He was imprisoned in 1967 for taking part in armed robbery of a branch of
9360-423: The underground movement against his government. Ortega and his brother Humberto formed the Insurrectionist, or Tercerista (Third Way) faction, culminating in the Nicaraguan Revolution . After the overthrow and exile of Somoza Debayle's government, Ortega became leader of the ruling multi-partisan Junta of National Reconstruction. Ortega was first arrested for political activities at the age of 15, and quickly joined
9464-452: The vote as the FSLN's candidate. Throughout the 1980s, Ortega's government faced a rebellion by US-backed rebels, known as the Contras . The US also sought to place economic pressure on the Sandinista government, imposing a full trade embargo, and planting underwater mines in Nicaragua's ports. After a presidency marred by conflict and economic collapse, Ortega was defeated in the 1990 Nicaraguan general election by Violeta Chamorro . Ortega
9568-670: The vote counts and that tallies from many polling places were altered. As a result of the fraud allegations, the European Union suspended $ 70m of aid, and the US$ 64m. With the late-2000s recession , Ortega in 2011 characterised capitalism as in its "death throes" and portrayed the Bolivarian Alternative for the People of Our America (ALBA) was the most advanced, most Christian and fairest project. He also said God
9672-501: The vote, with 68% turnout. The opposition coalition had called the election a "farce" and had called for the boycott of the election. International observers were not allowed to observe the vote. Nevertheless, according to the BBC, Ortega was the most popular candidate by far, possibly due to Nicaragua's stable economic growth and lack of violence compared to its neighbours El Salvador and Honduras in recent years. According to Tim Rogers, until
9776-579: The world". In 1968, Prince Rainier III bestowed Somoza with the Order of St. Charles , Monaco's highest honor. He was due to leave office in May 1972; at the time, Nicaraguan presidents were barred from immediate re-election. However, prior to that, Somoza worked out an agreement that allowed him to stand for re-election in 1974 . He would be replaced as president by a three-man junta consisting of two members of his Nationalist Liberal Party and one member from
9880-479: Was a former general , military leader, and published writer, and the third brother Camilo Ortega died fighting the Somoza regime in 1978. They had a sister, Germania, who died. Seeking stable employment, the family migrated from La Libertad to the provincial capital of Juigalpa , and then to a middle-class neighborhood in Managua . In Managua, Ortega and his brother studied at the upper-middle class high school,
9984-651: Was a long-time nemesis of Castro after having provided critical support to the U.S. in preparing for the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba in April 1961. Jorge Masetti, a former Argentine guerrilla working with Cuban intelligence services, describes the Somoza assassination and also asserts that Cuba had a direct role in planning it in his memoir, In the Pirate's Den (2002). Somoza's funeral attracted numerous wealthy Nicaraguan and Cuban exiles in South Florida, who protested
10088-485: Was ambushed by a seven-strong Sandinista commando team (four men and three women). The action was known as "Operation Reptile". The Sandinista team were armed with two Soviet-made machine guns, two AK-47 assault rifles, two automatic pistols, and an RPG-7 rocket launcher, with four anti-tank grenades and two rockets. The leader was Argentinian Marxist revolutionary Enrique Gorriarán Merlo (code named "Ramon"), an ex- Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo member. One of
10192-460: Was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1996 and 2001 but won the 2006 Nicaraguan general election . In office, he allied with fellow Latin American socialists. In contrast to his previous political career, his second administration abandoned (reinforcing) most of his earlier leftist principles, becoming increasingly anti-democratic, alienating many of his former revolutionary allies. In June 2018, organizations such as Amnesty International and
10296-515: Was battling insurgents. The same year, he was depicted in Under Fire , set during the 1979 Nicaraguan Revolution , this time portrayed by actor René Enriquez . In Warren Beatty 's Rules Don't Apply , Somoza is portrayed by Julio Oscar Mechoso . In Graham Greene 's novel The Captain and the Enemy , the titular character's final act is a failed attempt at assassinating Somoza by crashing
10400-668: Was punishing the United States with the financial crisis for trying to impose its economic principles on poor countries. "It's incredible that in the most powerful country in the world, which spends billions of dollars on brutal wars ... people do not have enough money to stay in their homes." Before the National Sandinista Council held in September 2009, Lenin Cerna, the secretary of the party organization, called for diversifying its political strategies. He declared
10504-459: Was re-elected president with a vote on 6 November and confirmation on 16 November 2011. During the election, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) blocked both domestic and international poll observers from multiple polling stations. According to the Supreme Electoral Council, Ortega defeated Fabio Gadea , with 63% of the vote. In January 2014 the National Assembly, dominated by the FSLN, approved constitutional amendments that abolished term limits for
10608-432: Was so unrecognizable that forensics had to identify him through his feet. Of the seven assassins, six escaped. Iruzun was killed in a shootout with Paraguayan police the day after the assassination. Somoza was buried in Miami, at Woodlawn Park Cemetery and Mausoleum . (His father, Somoza Garcia, was buried in Nicaragua.) A few months before Somoza's murder, his memoirs, Nicaragua Betrayed , were published. He blamed
10712-460: Was the 53rd President of Nicaragua from 1967 to 1972 and again from 1974 to 1979. As head of the National Guard , he was de facto ruler of the country between 1967 and 1979, even during the period when he was not the de jure ruler. Somoza Debayle succeeded his older brother, Luis Somoza Debayle , in office. He was the last member of the Somoza family to be president, ending a dynasty that had been in power since 1937. After insurgents led by
10816-400: Was tortured. While he was incarcerated at El Modelo, his mother helped stage protests and hunger strikes for political prisoners; this resulted in improving the treatment of incarcerated Sandinistas. Upon release in 1974, Ortega was exiled to Cuba . There he received training in guerrilla warfare from Fidel Castro's Marxist–Leninist government. He later returned secretly to Nicaragua. In
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