Nicaraguan leader seeks referendum for reelection

[cali]

(AFP) – 22 hours ago

MANAGUA — Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega announced Sunday, on the 30th anniversary of the leftist Sandinista revolution he led, that he would seek a referendum to change the constitution to allow him to seek reelection.

Following in the footsteps of elected regional allies, Ortega told thousands of supporters here that he would seek a referendum to let "the people say if they want to reward or punish" their leaders with reelection.

His close leftist allies who have had rules changed enabling them to remain in power include presidents Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia and Rafael Correa in Ecuador.

In the last month President Manuel Zelaya in neighboring Honduras was ousted in a coup by his own military after seeking similar action.

Ortega was leading celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista uprising that removed a decades-long dictatorship when he made the announcement.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jaCWBtzs9QuIZyoee5KCT0xg95Zg?index=0

[panader0]

1. Interesting. I've been thinking of moving there.

The land is just like Costa Rica, but the prices are far less. I've always imagined that, like Sandino before him, that things for Oretega would get better when the US influence was gone. He said, "let the people decide." Thats good.

[cali]

2. not such a good place for women of child bearing years

Ortega supported the ban on therapeutic abortion that was instituted a couple of years ago. Nicaragua has some of the most draconian abortion laws in the world. And it kills women. I don't give a shit if he's a saint on economic issues. he's a woman murderer. fuck him.

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Ortega's newfound Catholicism was an essential component in his electoral victory--and another factor in the dilution of Sandinismo. Just days before the election, under pressure from Cardinal Obando and the Vatican's local antiabortion surrogates, who staged massive marches through Managua, Ortega endorsed a proposed ban on "therapeutic abortions," or abortions to save the life of the mother. A week after this loophole (established by Nicaragua's government more than a century ago) was closed by the government of then-President Enrique Bolanos, a pregnant 18-year-old woman named Jazmina Bojorge checked into a Managua hospital with a fever and abdominal pain. Two days later, after being refused an abortion, she and her fetus were dead.

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http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/blumenthal