NICARAGUA: Nicaraguans go to the polls in presidential elections that pit leftist Daniel Ortega against former banker Eduardo Montealegre

Voters in Nicaragua turned out to elect a new president on Sunday (November 5) but were unable to cast their ballots as many voting stations failed to open on time. In a hotly contested campaign that drew attention from the international media, entrance polls showed leftist Sandinista candidate Daniel Ortega holding a slight lead over a divided right. There were some grumbling in the early morning hours after polls failed to open. "For me, it is a lack of consideration for all of us standing in a very long line and I also think that it is a lack of organization in the voting station," one voter said. Meanwhile, Ortega and former banker Eduardo Montealegre attended a morning Mass presided over by Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo. "I hope that once the candidate is elected he is accepted and afforded the necessary support," Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo said following the Mass. Later, presidential candidates cast their ballots as elections marked the end of what has been a heated campaign. Entrance polls showed leftist Ortega maintaining a lead, causing Washington to keep a close eye on the elections. Ortega first came to power in a popular revolution against a family dictatorship in 1979, and then led the left-wing Sandinista government in a civil war against U.S.-backed Contra rebels until he was voted out of power in 1990. Since 1990, Nicaragua has been ruled by U.S.-backed governments. Ortega has abandoned much of his past Marxist rhetoric, making almost messianic campaign speeches with repeated references to God. Ortega predicted a victory for all Nicaraguans after casting his ballot. "I am confident that all the people are going out to vote and there will be a high voter turn out like we have always had in Nicaragua and thank God, the ones who are going to win today are the people of Nicaragua," he said. Ortega says he has mellowed and now wants "fair markets" to replace the "savage capitalism" he once abhorred. Washington still regards him as a danger and disapproves of his friendship with hard-line left-wing leaders in Latin America. U.S officials have said they may withdraw financial support from Nicaragua if Ortega wins, sparking angry accusations of election intervention from many in the international community. Since his ouster in 1990, Ortega has lost two presidential elections but he still has a loyal support base that sees him as the only answer to Nicaragua's endemic poverty. Polls showed multi-millionaire former banker Montealegre is running second to Ortega. Montealgre presents as a clean-government alternative for the center-right, and has pro-business credentials that delight Washington but distance him from poor voters. After casting his ballot Sunday, Montealegre urged Nicaraguans to remain calm and avoid confrontations. "Nicaraguans have behaved with tranquility, there has been no violence in these elections and I hope that all Nicaraguans will go out and vote in peace," Montealegre said. Elections observers from the European Union are spread throughout the country to ensure fair elections and help keep the peace.

ITN Source | November 6, 2006

Tags:. .civil. .poor. .accepted. .replace. .confident