In Nicaragua, Sandinista frontrunner Daniel Ortega has been declared the victor in the country’s presidential elections. Ortega has thirty-eight percent of the vote with ninety-one percent of ballots counted. His closest rival, the US-backed Eduardo Montealegre, came second with twenty-nine percent. Ortega spoke Tuesday in Managua.

Nicaraguan President-elect Daniel Ortega: “We need to give Nicaragua a sign of stability, a sign that goes above all of our political stances. the responsibility that we have, above all else, is to take Nicaragua out of poverty.”

The Bush administration has not yet responded to Ortega’s victory after threatening economic sanctions if he won.