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Daniel Ortega

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ortega and the second or maternal family name is Saavedra.

His Excellency
Daniel Ortega
Ortega in 2017
54th & 58th President of Nicaragua
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 January 2007
Vice PresidentJaime Morales Carazo
(2007–2012)
Omar Halleslevens
(2012–2017)
Rosario Murillo
(2017–present)
Preceded byEnrique Bolaños
In office
10 January 1985 – 25 April 1990
Vice PresidentSergio Ramírez
Preceded byHimself
(as Coordinator of the JNR)
Succeeded byVioleta Chamorro
Coordinator of the
Junta of National Reconstruction
In office
18 July 1979 – 10 January 1985
Preceded byFrancisco Urcuyo
(as Acting President)
Succeeded byHimself
(as President)
Personal details
Born
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra

(1945-11-11) 11 November 1945 (age 79)
La Libertad, Chontales, Nicaragua
Political partyFSLN
Spouse
​
(m. 1979)​
Children8, 7 with Rosario Murillo and 1 with Leticia Herrera
RelativesHumberto Ortega (brother)
Camilo Ortega (brother)
Xiomara Blandino (daughter-in-law)
AwardsAl-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Nicaragua
Branch/service
Years of service
  • 1963–1990
  • 2007–present
Rank
Battles/warsNicaraguan Revolution

José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (/ɔːrˈteɪɡə/; Spanish: [daˈnjel oɾˈteɣa]; born 11 November 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician and the 58th president of Nicaragua since 10 January 2007. Since 22 January 2025, he has shared the position as copresident with his wife, Rosario Murillo. He previously led Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, first as Coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction from 18 July 1979 to 10 January 1985, and then as the 54th president from 10 January 1985 to 25 April 1990.

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 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 the vote as the FSLN's candidate.[1] During his first term, he implemented policies to achieve leftist reforms across Nicaragua. 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,[2] and planting underwater mines in Nicaragua's ports.[3][failed verification] After a presidency marred by conflict and economic collapse, Ortega was defeated in the 1990 Nicaraguan general election by Violeta Chamorro.

Ortega was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1996 and 2001 but won the 2006 Nicaraguan general election.[4] 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 and pro-business, alienating many of his former revolutionary allies.[5][6][7] In June 2018, organizations such as Amnesty International and the Organization of American States reported that Ortega had engaged in a violent oppression campaign against anti-government protests.[8][9] 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.[10]

His government jailed many potential rival candidates in the 2021 Nicaraguan general election,[11] including Cristiana Chamorro Barrios. Ortega's government also imprisoned other opponents, such as former allies Dora María Téllez and Hugo Torres Jiménez.[12] In August 2021, Nicaragua cancelled the operating permits of six US and European NGOs.[13] Many critics of the Ortega government, including opposition leaders, journalists and members of civil society, fled the country in mid-2021.[14] After Ortega was re-elected in 2021, United States President Joe Biden banned him and his officials from entering the United States.[15] In his fourth term, Ortega ordered the closure of several NGOs, universities, and newspapers,[16][17][18] and resumed his repression of the Catholic Church after a brief rapprochement,[19] imprisoning prelate Rolando José Álvarez Lagos.[20][21]

  1. ^ Helicon, ed. (2016). "Ortega Saavedra, Daniel". The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide. Abington: Helicon.
  2. ^ "US Policy: Economic Embargo: The War Goes On". Envío. Central American University – UCA. Archived from the original on 21 June 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  3. ^ Truver, SC. "Mines and Underwater IEDs in U.S. Ports and Waterways..." (PDF). p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  4. ^ "Ortega wins Nicaraguan election" Archived 14 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 8 November 2006.
  5. ^ "Profile: Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, from revolutionary leader to opposition hate figure". BBC News. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  6. ^ Partlow, Joshua (24 August 2018). "From rebel to strongman: How Daniel Ortega became the thing he fought against". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  7. ^ Webber, Jude (22 August 2018). "A rebel no more, Daniel Ortega comes to resemble the dictator he replaced". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Shoot to kill: Nicaragua's strategy to repress protest". Amnesty International. 29 May 2018. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  9. ^ "IACHR Condemns Increased Violence in Nicaragua" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: Organization of American States. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  10. ^ Moloney, Anastasia (16 April 2019). "Nicaragua crisis forces 60,000 people to flee homes in past year - U.N." Reuters. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Nicaragua Sees Democracy Crisis As President Ortega Jails Potential Election Rivals". NPR. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  12. ^ Mannheim, Linda (10 August 2021). "The Arrest of Dora María Téllez Marks a New Low for Nicaragua". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Nicaragua cancels permits for US, European NGOs". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Prominent Nicaraguan opposition leaders and journalists flee an escalating government crackdown". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  15. ^ "US bans President Daniel Ortega and Nicaraguan officials from entry to the US". Deutsche Welle. 17 November 2021. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Daniel Ortega emprende una cruzada contra las universidades privadas de Nicaragua". 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Daniel Ortega arremete contra las universidades rebeldes de Nicaragua". 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  18. ^ "El régimen de Daniel Ortega ordenó el cierre de cuatro ONGs". 17 May 2022. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  19. ^ Belli, Gioconda (24 August 2018). "How Daniel Ortega Became a Tyrant - From Revolutionary to Strongman". Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega goes after the Catholic Church in his latest effort to stop criticism of the government". NBC News. 25 August 2022. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  21. ^ CNA. "European bishops call for release of Nicaraguan bishop due to stand trial for conspiracy". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
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