Daniel Ortega

Daniel Ortega is a prominent Nicaraguan politician and former guerrilla fighter.

He has held leadership roles in Nicaragua for much of the last several decades. Ortega first rose to power during the Nicaraguan Revolution in 1979. He served as a coordinator for the Junta of National Reconstruction from 1979 to 1985. He then served as the president of Nicaragua from 1985 until 1990. After losing power, he returned to the presidency in 2007. Since February 2025, he has served as co-president alongside his wife, Rosario Murillo.

Ortega's political journey began with intense opposition to the regime of Anastasio Somoza Debayle. His family was deeply involved in these political struggles. His mother, Lidia Saavedra, was once imprisoned by the National Guard. Ortega himself joined the Sandinista National Liberation Front, known as the FSLN, in 1963. He was arrested for political activities at the age of 15. In 1964, he was arrested in Guatemala and returned to Nicaragua. Later, in 1967, he was imprisoned for his involvement in an armed robbery. During his time in the El Modelo jail, he even wrote poetry.

To prepare for revolution, Ortega sought specialized training. In 1974, he was released from prison and sent into exile in Cuba. There, he received training in guerrilla warfare from the Marxist–Leninist government of Fidel Castro. He eventually returned to Nicaragua in secret to continue his work. Within the FSLN, Ortega and his brother Humberto formed the Tercerista, or "Third Way," faction. This group sought to combine different guerrilla strategies used by other factions. The Terceristas were very effective at building alliances with various social groups. They gained support from Catholic and Protestant activists as well as non-Marxist groups.

During his first period of leadership, Ortega implemented several major social reforms. His government focused on nationalization and land reform. They redistributed land to approximately 100,000 families. The FSLN also launched a massive literacy campaign in 1980. This program aimed to reduce the illiteracy rate, which was at 50%. Some reports claimed the rate fell to 13% in just five months. The government also improved healthcare through mass vaccinations. These efforts helped end polio and reduced child mortality by half. In 1982, the World Health Organization called Nicaragua a model for primary healthcare.

However, these reforms were accompanied by significant conflict and hardship. The Sandinista government's policies led to the forced displacement of 10,000 indigenous people. By 1982, many indigenous people had fled to Honduras. In the 1980s, Ortega's government faced a rebellion from the Contras. These were US-backed rebels fighting against the Sandinista administration. The country also suffered from economic collapse during this era. In the 1990 general election, Ortega was defeated by Violeta Chamorro. This ended his first major period of governing the nation.

Ortega's return to power in 2006 marked a major shift in his political style. While he previously aligned with leftist revolutionary goals, his second administration moved away from those principles. This change alienated many of his former allies from the FSLN. Critics have described his leadership as authoritarian or dictatorial. In June 2018, organizations like Amnesty International reported a violent oppression campaign against protesters. This crackdown led to a significant loss of civil liberties. As a result, more than 30,000 Nicaraguans filed for asylum in neighboring Costa Rica.

In recent years, the Ortega government has taken several actions against political opponents. During the 2021 general election, the government jailed several potential rival candidates. This included Cristiana Chamorro Barrios. Other opponents, such as Dora María Téllez and Hugo Torres Jiménez, were also imprisoned. In August 2021, the government cancelled the operating permits of six NGOs from the US and Europe. Ortega has also ordered the closure of various universities and newspapers. He has also resumed a crackdown on the Catholic Church, including the imprisonment of prelate Rolando José Álvarez Lagos.