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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza

Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.

Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.

“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.

Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”

Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..

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“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”

She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.

Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.

International

Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions

Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.

“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.

The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.

Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.

The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.

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International

Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.

Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.

“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”

The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.

He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.

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“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.

So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.

Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.

Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.