International
Daniel Ortega turns 79: 29 in power, 17 “governing from below”, and 7 in prison
The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, turns 79 this Monday, 29 of which he has celebrated in power, 17 “governing from below”, 7 as a prisoner in his years as a revolutionary, and 4 between clandestinity and exile as a guerrilla.
Ortega, one of the leaders of the armed insurrection that overthrew the dictatorship of the Somoza family, in 1979, reaches the age of 79 as the only survivor of his brothers after the death, on September 30, of retired General Humberto Ortega, former leader of the Sandinista Popular Army, who died at 77 “under the custody of the dictatorship,” according to the opponents, and as a “traitor to the homeland” for the Government.
The former guerrilla and revolutionary also celebrates his name-time turned-in, since the presidency he has held since 2007, the longest-in-power president in Nicaragua.
Born on November 11, 1945 in the municipality of La Libertad, department of Chontales (center), the former Marxist guerrilla, nostalgic confessed to the “Cold War”, surpassed Anastasio Somoza García, the father of that family dynasty against which the Sandinista leader fought until he overthrows her, as the longest president in power in Nicaragua.
Somoza García was president from 1937 to 1947 and from 1950 to 1956, while Ortega has accumulated so far 28 years and 7 months: six years that he coordinated a Government Board 1979-1985, five years -1985-1990- in which he presided over Nicaragua for the first time and 17 in power after being elected at the polls since 2006.
He is the president with the most consecutive years in power in Latin America
Ortega is, along with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from Brazil, the longest-serving head of state in Latin America.
He is also the president of Latin America with the most consecutive years in power (from January 10, 2007 to date, that is, 17 years, 9 months and 1 day).
He was one of the nine commanders of the Sandinista revolution and, after overthrowing the Somoza Debayle dictatorship with weapons on July 19, 1979, he was coordinator of the Governing Board and president from 1985 to 1990 for, 17 years later, where he “governed from below”, return to power, this time by the polls, repeating in 2011, 2016 and again in 2021.
Daniel Ortega, a disciple of Fidel Castro
Inspired by the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, he began his political activity in 1960 as a member of the extinct Nicaraguan Patriotic Youth, and three years later he joined the ranks of the FSLN guerrilla group.
In prison for more than seven years for robbing a bank during the Somocist regime, which he fought with weapons, he was appointed, after his release, one of the nine members of the National Directorate of the FSLN.
Ortega, after the triumph of the revolution, on July 19, 1979 he joined the National Reconstruction Board, and in March 1981 he was appointed as its executive coordinator.
In November 1984, in the first general elections after the fall of Somoza Debayle, and in which the main opposition group did not participate, Ortega was proclaimed president of Nicaragua.
He lost power in the elections of February 25, 1990 to Violeta Barrios de Chamorro – now exiled in Costa Rica – and added three consecutive defeats at the polls, until he won the presidential elections of November 2006 against a divided opposition and with the support of the late president of Venezuela Hugo Chávez.
Ortega resisted recognizing that defeat of 1990 and said in public that they were going to “govern from below” until they returned to power (1990-2007).
Hard hand against dissidents
In his second stage as ruler, his detractors accuse him of wanting to establish not only a one-party regime in the Central American country, but a new dynasty, after another, that of the Somoza family, was overthrown.
Until April 2018, when a social and political crisis broke out, which Ortega maintains was an attempted coup d’état, he maintained a consensus alliance with big capital and with the unions, while he held the other powers of the State, Army and Police.
He resorted to force to crush those demonstrations that left hundreds of dead and tens of thousands in exile, imprisoned and expelled opponents, expropriated media, outlawed thousands of NGOs, suspended relations with the Vatican, with Brazil and with Israel, and humanitarian agencies pointed him out of committing crimes against humanity.
One of the scandals that have overshadowed Ortega’s public figure was the accusation in 1998 of Zoilamérica, daughter of Rosario Murillo, who claimed before a court that her stepfather sexually abused her since she was 13 years old.
Ortega, who received the support of his mother and Murillo, finally appealed to his parliamentary immunity and the judge of the case, Juana Méndez, now a magistrate of the Supreme Court, considered that he had prescribed and filed it.
Loved by some and hated by others
He married in September 2005 with Murillo, with whom he had been linked for 27 years and with whom he has had six children, in addition to the three that his partner already had, whom Ortega adopted.
Known by the nickname “piñatín”, from a local humorous publication, Ortega was pointed out as the main person responsible for the Sandinista “piñata”, as the distribution of state assets among the main leaders of the FSLN is called in Nicaragua after the electoral defeat in 1990.
Ortega is compared by his former comrades with the “Somoza for ever,” as that dynasty that subjuged the Central American country for 40 years was defined, and his detractors call him a “dictator.”
His followers, on the other hand, call him “commander”, have a deep respect for him, believe him blindly and consider him a “chosen one” to govern Nicaragua.
International
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela, including vaccine-preventable illnesses, due to low immunization coverage across the country.
“The vaccination coverage in Venezuela, particularly against measles and other diseases, was already low, so the risk of measles cases and other illnesses is currently high,” said Ciro Ugarte, director for emergencies at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO’s regional office.
Speaking during a video conference with journalists, Ugarte said the risk is especially high in shelters, where overcrowding could significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.
He also highlighted water quality as an additional concern in the aftermath of the disaster, noting that safe drinking water is not guaranteed in the most affected areas.
“Unfortunately, supply is scarce, making it very difficult to assess conditions in all shelters. That is why evaluating the quality of water provided to the population, especially in large shelters, is a priority,” he said during a briefing in Geneva.
Ugarte suggested that targeted vaccination campaigns could be deployed against mosquito-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases, particularly in overcrowded shelters and in areas where people remain displaced.
According to PAHO, eight health facilities have been assessed so far, all of which require assistance, with three reporting structural damage.
He also stressed that the José María Vargas Hospital, one of Caracas’s major public reference hospitals, requires urgent support due to critical conditions. The facility is currently treating 96 patients in an eight-bed unit, while its blood bank is operating at extremely low levels.
In La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital has reduced its capacity from 108 to 35 beds. Additionally, 22 other health centers have reported severe shortages, underscoring the strain on Venezuela’s healthcare system.
International
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and disrupted her planned return to Venezuela following recent earthquakes, amid concerns over a potential political crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that a private jet carrying Machado from the United States to Curaçao was ordered to turn back last week after U.S. officials concluded she intended to continue onward to Venezuelan territory, effectively reversing her earlier departure route from December.
The opposition figure had reportedly spent months preparing to re-enter Venezuela in an effort to renew pressure for new elections, following the detention of then-president Nicolás Maduro under an order issued by Trump. The U.S. president has since stated that Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s acting leadership, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, is “excellent.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, intermediaries close to the White House warned Machado that proceeding with her return plan could jeopardize her support from Trump and undermine broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela, potentially delaying electoral plans.
Despite these warnings, Machado reportedly attempted a second route back through Panama. However, Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Venezuela, citing concerns over possible retaliation from Caracas against the airline, according to unnamed sources.
From Panama City, Machado stated on Monday that the Venezuelan government had closed commercial airspace to prevent her return, calling it “urgent” to go back to the country to “face this catastrophe together,” without addressing reports of U.S. pressure.
Axios reported that Trump administration officials viewed Machado’s attempted return as “grotesque political opportunism” in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that have left at least 2,595 people dead and thousands injured, while also delaying reconstruction efforts and potential electoral processes.
Since Maduro’s detention on January 3, President Trump has reportedly expressed support for Rodríguez, the former vice president, who has agreed to trade, mining, and oil agreements demanded by Washington. Trump has described Venezuela as effectively operating under U.S. oversight and has claimed the country is improving economically through increased oil production and exports.
Venezuelan opposition groups based in the United States have urged the Trump administration to reconsider its relationship with Rodríguez and criticized Washington’s stated satisfaction with reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
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