Nicaragua: Daniel Ortega takes office for the third time

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 07:51

Newsroom Staff

By Susana Lima

For the third time in less than 30 years, Daniel Ortega assumed Nicaragua's presidency past Tuesday during a ceremony surrounded by guards that were guarding the 70 foreign delegations that were present among other guests.

The event took place in the House of Peoples, opposite the old Plaza of the Revolution at 4:00 pm. In this place was held the revolutionary triumph of July 19th, 1979 and President-elect will be proclaimed for the third time since 1984.

Employees of the Managua Municipality, restored the square for several weeks for the special occasion, placing new pavement, banners, stands, flags and flowers.

Since just last week, hotels are full of the 70 invited government delegations and according to the spokesman for the National Police, Commissioner Fernando Borges; the policemen guarded a perimeter of 500 meters around each hotel to protect figures visiting the country.

Attending the ceremony were the presidents of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, Guatemala, Alvaro Colom, Honduras, Porfirio Lobo, and El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, Desi Bouterse of Suriname, from Haiti Michel Martelly in the presence of seven heads of state, Prince Felipe, heir to the Spanish crown and and the absence of the opposition, which alleges fraud in the election. The President of Iran was also present, who arrived from Caracas.

The band was put to President Ortega by Parliament Speaker René Núñez, who on Monday was sworn in to the maximum of the Legislature.