This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-37892477
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Nicaragua: 'High turnout' in vote likely to re-elect Daniel Ortega | Nicaragua: 'High turnout' in vote likely to re-elect Daniel Ortega |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Turnout for the election in Nicaragua was high, officials say, in a contest that seems likely to give President Daniel Ortega a third consecutive term. | |
| A former left-wing rebel, Mr Ortega is widely popular thanks to social programmes and economic stability. | A former left-wing rebel, Mr Ortega is widely popular thanks to social programmes and economic stability. |
| But critics accuse him of manipulating the political system to stay in power and of smothering the opposition. | But critics accuse him of manipulating the political system to stay in power and of smothering the opposition. |
| He faces no obvious challenger. His wife, Rosario Murillo, is standing for vice president. | He faces no obvious challenger. His wife, Rosario Murillo, is standing for vice president. |
| Opinion polls suggest Mr Ortega, from the Sandinista National Liberation Front, has the support of more than 60% of voters. | |
| Mr Ortega, 70, arrived at the voting station in the capital, Managua, with Ms Murillo just before the polls closed at 18:00 local time (00:00 GMT). | |
| "This is a vote for peace, for stability, for the security of Nicaraguan families," said Mr Ortega. | |
| "Some say that we don't have proper elections here, because we're not insulting each other, throwing messages of hate, banging the drums of death," he added. | |
| Five other candidates are running, but they are all minor figures unlikely to present any challenge to the president. Part of the opposition urged a boycott, calling the vote a "farce". | Five other candidates are running, but they are all minor figures unlikely to present any challenge to the president. Part of the opposition urged a boycott, calling the vote a "farce". |
| International observers have not been allowed to monitor the vote. | International observers have not been allowed to monitor the vote. |
| Analysts say Mr Ortega's wife already shares decision-making with him and could become president herself if he bows out - there are rumours about the state of his health - or in the next election. | Analysts say Mr Ortega's wife already shares decision-making with him and could become president herself if he bows out - there are rumours about the state of his health - or in the next election. |
| Nicaragua's economy has grown at double the Latin American average, but the country still needs to attract more foreign investment. | Nicaragua's economy has grown at double the Latin American average, but the country still needs to attract more foreign investment. |
| A $50bn (£40bn) plan to build an interoceanic canal across Nicaragua with Chinese investment gained international attention, but there are serious doubts over whether it will ever be built. | A $50bn (£40bn) plan to build an interoceanic canal across Nicaragua with Chinese investment gained international attention, but there are serious doubts over whether it will ever be built. |
| The country has been able to avoid the sky-high murder rates of some of its Central American neighbours but it also faces the ever pervasive threat of drug-trafficking. | The country has been able to avoid the sky-high murder rates of some of its Central American neighbours but it also faces the ever pervasive threat of drug-trafficking. |