Daniel Ortega Biography

Daniel Ortega is best known for being the long-time president of the Central American nation of Nicaragua. Born in a remote village, Ortega was raised by his activist parents. After his father saw action in a civil war, he and his wife became adamantly opposed to the ruling dictator. Although Daniel's mother was arrested on political charges, he joined the protest movement while in his young teens and was soon arrested himself. Daniel became radicalized while in prison and became persuaded to participate in a bank robbery, to finance the revolutionary guerillas. After a political deal secured his liberty, he immediately returned to his revolutionary group, and after a protracted struggle, managed to overthrow the government. Leading a ruling junta, Ortega soon consolidated his grip on the country, and quickly implemented diverse social reforms. As foreign powers tried to overthrow him by financing armed resistance groups in neighboring countries, Ortega maintained a steady hand on his country for one term in office but then subsequently faded to the background of Nicaraguan politics for the next decade. Returning from the ashes, his party swept to victory and Ortega now comfortably holds the reins of power in his country. Although the global political climate has changed since his first term in office, Ortega continues to stubbornly lead his country on an independent path, away from undue influence from neighboring superpowers