Topic: Daniel Ortega

José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (Spanish pronunciation: ; born 11 November 1945) is the current (83rd) President of Nicaragua, having served since 10 January 2007. He previously served as the 79th President, between 10 January 1985, and 25 April 1990. For much of his life, he has been a leader in the Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional or FSLN).

After a popular rebellion resulted in the overthrow and exile of dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979, Ortega became a member of the ruling multipartisan Junta of National Reconstruction and was later elected president, serving from 1985 to 1990. His first period in office was characterized by a controversial program of land reform and wealth redistribution, literacy programs, hostility from the United States' Reagan administration, and armed attacks by US-backed Contras.

Ortega was defeated by Violeta Barrios de Chamorro in the 1990 presidential election, but he remained an important figure in Nicaraguan opposition politics. He was an unsuccessful candidate for president in 1996 and 2001 before winning the 2006 presidential election.