Nicaragua inaugurates new president

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Nicaragua Wednesday inaugurated President Daniel Ortega, who returned to power after nearly two decades, El Nuevo Diario reported.

The Sandinista leader Ortega said after taking the oath of office that he would work to reduce poverty and create jobs in the poor Central American country, but would not make any radical changes to the economy.

The leftist leader won a November election against a more conservative U.S.-backed opponent.

Several leftist Latin American leaders were on hand for Ortega's inauguration -- including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who was inaugurated in Caracas earlier in the day.