# Daniel Ortega likely to win presidency of Nicaragua -- implications? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 20, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218 "2006-10-20T13:49:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/1 "2006-10-20T13:49:01Z")
[Daniel Ortega,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_ortega) president of Nicaragua during the Sandinista regime from 1985 to 1990, appears [favored to win](http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15317882/) Nicaragua’s presidential election in November. He is an ally of Hugo Chavez. What does this portend for Nicaragua’s relations with other Latin American countries and with the U.S.? For Central America in general? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/2 "2006-10-20T14:28:45Z")
Ronald Reagan begins breakdancing in his grave? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/3 "2006-10-20T17:32:42Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] [Daniel Ortega,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_ortega) president of Nicaragua during the Sandinista regime from 1985 to 1990, appears [favored to win](http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15317882/) Nicaragua’s presidential election in November. He is an ally of Hugo Chavez. What does this portend for Nicaragua’s relations with other Latin American countries and with the U.S.? For Central America in general? [/QUOTE] The U.S. will immediately begin a dirty tricks campaign against Nicaragua, just as they did the last time Ortega was elected. I don’t think there’s an insurgency to fund like they did last time, so it’ll be more subtle a la the campaign against Chavez. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/4 "2006-10-26T13:50:24Z")
Maybe he will be interviewed in “Playboy” again. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/5 "2006-10-26T19:03:56Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Wanderer] Maybe he will be interviewed in “Playboy” again. [/QUOTE] Finally! A reason to buy that magazine! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/6 "2006-10-26T21:17:17Z")
Add yet, still another sovereign nation to the list of countries that Bush and the Republicans will want to invade. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/7 "2006-10-26T22:32:09Z")
Daniel Ortega was described to me by someone who knows him as “Messianic”. He certainly has doggedly fought on despite losing again and again, and even being discredited by many of his own supporters, over the “piñata” scandal (in which senior Sandinistas feathered their own nests when about to lose power) and with the allegations of abuse by his niece and adopted daughter Zoilamérica Narváez. He is convinced that he will, once again, be President, and he’s done all he can to make sure of this, including making pacts with his old enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/8 "2006-10-30T02:16:39Z")
Just to show how low he will sink to regain power, [here](http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/29/opinion/ednicar.php) is the latest development (bolding mine): > [@](#): > > The rights and safety of Nicaragua’s women took a giant step backward last week when the country’s legislature passed a law criminalizing all abortions, with no exceptions. The previous law permitted an abortion if the mother’s life was in danger. > > \ > > Nicaragua’s ban, which passed 52- 0, was a clear bid to curry support from the Catholic Church before next weekend’s presidential elections. Conservative parties were expected to vote for the legislation. But **Daniel Ortega’s Sandinistas also backed it. Once the party of social revolution, the Sandinistas have become the party of political opportunism**. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/9 "2006-10-30T02:57:11Z")
[QUOTE=Martha] Just to show how low he will sink to regain power, [here](http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/29/opinion/ednicar.php) is the latest development (bolding mine): [/QUOTE] Isn’t this in line with the Republican Party’s position? Maybe they’re trying to avoid an invasion. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/10 "2006-10-30T12:16:17Z")
Or maybe, just maybe, they’ve learned to play the party politics game. And that means that if he gets more votes the system works. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/11 "2006-10-30T13:43:52Z")
The Nicaraguan women’s movement had a tough enough time reconciling their ties to the Sandinistas during the Zoilamérica furore in the late 90s. It’ll be interesting to see what they do now. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/12 "2006-10-30T14:18:42Z")
[QUOTE=5 time champ] Add yet, still another sovereign nation to the list of countries that Bush and the Republicans will want to invade. [/QUOTE] Is there oil in Nicaragua? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/13 "2006-10-30T14:44:41Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Is there oil in Nicaragua? [/QUOTE] [shrug] [In the past,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Nicaragua#US_involvement_.281909_-_1933.29) bananas seem to have been sufficient inducement. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/14 "2006-10-30T14:46:08Z")
[QUOTE=Martha] The Nicaraguan women’s movement had a tough enough time reconciling their ties to the Sandinistas during the Zoilamérica furore in the late 90s. [/QUOTE] 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/15 "2006-10-30T15:07:36Z")
Zoilamerica Narvaez, Ortega’s stepdaughter, accused him of sexually abusing her as a child and teenager. He has immunity as a member of parliament, and so it never went to court. I think, though that if Ortega wins, it’s not going to be such a big deal for the US this time, even though he’s not our choice. But the Sandinistas back in the 70s and 80s, backed by the Soviets and sponsoring Communist rebels in Central America were a threat to us. The Sandinistas today, after the fall of the Soviets, and without any major backers aren’t so much of a threat. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/16 "2006-10-30T15:16:21Z")
> [@](#): > > What does this portend for Nicaragua’s relations with other Latin American countries and with the U.S.? How good are the current relations between Nicaragua and the US? Not all that rosy IIRC. I don’t think that this will substantially change them, one way or the other. Unless Ortega starts doing diablo Bush type speeches, I doubt this will get much more than a yawn from either the administration or the Republican party. They have bigger fish to fry these days. > [@](#): > > For Central America in general? IMHO none. What, do you think that this is some new trend, that socialism is sweeping Central/South America or something? Its the same old shit. This guy is as dirty as the rest, and the cycle just continues to chug along down there… -XT ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/17 "2006-10-30T18:12:27Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] Unless Ortega starts doing diablo Bush type speeches, I doubt this will get much more than a yawn from either the administration or the Republican party. They have bigger fish to fry these days. [/QUOTE] Then why has the Bush Admin been [spending money to influence the election?](http://www.americas.org/item_26923) ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/18 "2006-10-30T18:16:12Z")
Assuming its true, because its cheaper to send money than troops of course. We WANT to have governements friendly to us (or at least neutral) in our own backyard…as opposed to governments who will obviously be hostile toward the US. Doesn’t mean that we will have a major heart failure over it. I’m sure Bush et al won’t be happy…but as I said, they have bigger fish to fry these days (Iraq, Afganastan, possible Republican loss of control of one or both houses, etc etc). I’d guess this is pretty far down the list… -XT ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/19 "2006-10-31T02:35:59Z")
[QUOTE=5 time champ] Add yet, still another sovereign nation to the list of countries that Bush and the Republicans will want to invade. [/QUOTE] Let’s give the devil his due. We had been invading Central American nations by proxy for years before Bush was elected. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218/20 "2006-10-31T02:55:37Z")
I was only mostly joking, as Bush & the Republicans have plenty of other fires to put out. But one can’t help but think Bush would score a few points with paleoconservatives by rattlling a few sabres down Nicaragua way. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daniel-ortega-likely-to-win-presidency-of-nicaragua-implications/377218.md?page=2)