The President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, celebrates his 79th birthday this Monday. He has been in power for 29 years, of which he has spent 17 'governing from below', 7 as a prisoner during his revolutionary years, and 4 in clandestinity and exile as a guerrilla.
Ortega is the only surviving sibling and commemorates his birthday amid the recent death of his brother Humberto Ortega, former head of the Sandinista Popular Army. This fact has generated divided opinions, being considered a 'traitor to the homeland' by the government and deceased 'under the custody of the dictatorship' according to opponents.
Born on November 11, 1945, in La Libertad, Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla, has outlasted Anastasio Somoza GarcĂa in power, the president of the dynasty against which he fought. He has accumulated 28 years and 7 months in power so far, becoming the president with the longest tenure in the history of Nicaragua.
Inspired by the Cuban revolution, led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Daniel Ortega began his political career in 1960. After overthrowing the Somoza Debayle dictatorship in 1979, he held various political positions, including the presidency of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990. He returned to power in the 2006 elections and has been re-elected in 2011, 2016, and again in 2021.
During his term, Ortega has been harshly criticized by opponents for attempting to establish a one-party regime and for maintaining authoritarian control over various sectors of society. In April 2018, he faced a social and political crisis that resulted in violent repression, leaving hundreds dead and exiled, as well as the illegalization of NGOs and the expropriation of media.
One of the scandals that has marked Ortega's public figure is the accusation of sexual abuse made by Zoilamérica, daughter of his current wife, Rosario Murillo. Despite the controversy, Ortega has maintained the support of his followers, who consider him an indispensable leader for the country.
