LADDO: Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega urged Israel to destroy its nuclear weapons to foster peace in the Middle East

Daniel Ortega was sworn in for his third five-year term as president of Nicaragua, shrugging off opposition complaints his re-election was illegal and vowing to govern with moderation. Mr Ortega took the oath of office in front of about 8,000 people gathered at Revolution Plaza, the site where he and his ragtag band of Sandinista rebels celebrated the overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. Presidents from all other Central American nations attended the inauguration, but the most notable visitor was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is touring the region to bolster his country's alliances in the U.S. neighbourhood at a moment of sharp disputes with Washington. Mr Ahmadinejad said both Iran and Nicaragua are "on the road to fight for the establishment of security and justice" and referred to Mr Ortega as "my brother president". [3]

Ahmadinejad said both Iran and Nicaragua are "on the road to fight for the establishment of security and justice" and referred to Ortega as "my brother president." Ortega was a socialist firebrand when he headed the Sandinista rebels who toppled dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. The U.S. government, enmeshed in the Cold War, tried to overthrow him by backing Contra rebels, but he eventually was voted out of office in 1990. Ortega is still a firm ally of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Cuba's communist government, but he has worked to maintain ties with Washington. He signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. and has cultivated relations with the Roman Catholic Church and Nicaragua's business sector. He also has boosted his popularity by creating dozens of programs for the poor in a country where more than 40 percent of the people live on less than $2 a day. Ortega has promised to follow a moderate path in his third term, even though his Sandinista party dominates Nicaragua's legislature. Critics allege he aims to become president for life, using courts and electoral institutions that are stacked with Sandinista appointees. [4] Ortega said a "brutal crime" was committed when Gadhafi was killed by rebel captors in October. Ortega, while shrugging off opposition complaints his re-election was illegal and vowing to govern with moderation, took the oath of office in front of about 8,000 people gathered at Revolution Plaza. The plaza was the site where he and his ragtag band of Sandinista rebels celebrated the overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. Ortega was a socialist firebrand in 1979 and throughout his first term in the 1980s, and the U.S. government, enmeshed in the Cold War, tried to overthrow him by backing Contra rebels. He eventually was voted out of office in 1990. Ortega is still a firm ally of Chávez and Cuba's communist government, but he has worked to maintain ties with Washington. He signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. and has cultivated relations with the Roman Catholic Church and Nicaragua's business sector. He also has boosted his popularity by creating dozens of programs for the poor in a country where more than 40 percent of the people live on less than $2 a day. Ortega has promised to follow a moderate path in his third term, even though his Sandinista party dominates Nicaragua's legislature. Critics allege he aims to become president for life, using courts and electoral institutions that are stacked with Sandinista appointees. [5]

Ortega's closest and most financially supportive ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, attended the ceremony after playing host to Ahmadinejad in Caracas. Ortega is still a firm ally of Chavez and Cuba's communist government, but he has worked to maintain ties with Washington. He signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. and has cultivated relations with the Roman Catholic Church and Nicaragua's business sector. [6] Venezuelan President and key Ortega backer Hugo Chavez was due to attend Tuesday's inauguration, along with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is on a tour of Latin American allies as tensions rise with the West over Iran's suspect nuclear program. Presidents from neighboring Central American countries Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras were also among those set to attend the ceremony under an celebratory arch on capital Managua's Revolution Square Tuesday afternoon. [7] Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is on a tour of Latin American allies amid growing tensions with the United States, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Ortega's key financial backer, were among more than 8,000 guests. Ortega gave a military salute to Chavez before hugging his wife and the Iranian president, and then offering sound support for Ahmadinejad in his showdown with the West over Tehran's suspect nuclear program. [8] The 66-year-old Ortega, who has long since traded guerrilla garb for white tropical shirts and Christian messages of peace, was reelected with more than 62 percent of the vote in November. A handful of presidents were attending his inauguration including key financial backer Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as well as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is on a tour of Latin American allies amid growing tensions with the United States. [9]

"Christ never said, "Arm yourself, Israel,'" Ortega said at an inauguration ration rally in Managua last night, joined by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Ahmadinejad, who stood next to Ortega in front of thousands of supporters, visited Nicaragua as part of a four-nation tour of Latin America, where he joined forces with Chavez allies at taking shots at the U.S. in its own backyard. Defying attempts to isolate the country over its nuclear activities, Ahmadinejad flies to Ecuador today for a meeting with President Rafael Correa. [10] Ahmadinejad joined his ally Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in accusing the U.S. and its allies of using a dispute over Iran's enrichment of uranium to unjustly threaten the country. Both leaders dismissed U.S. concerns about Iran's intentions in the Middle East and its growing diplomatic ties with Chavez and his allies in Latin America. "They accuse us of being warmongers," Chavez said. "They're the threat." The Iranian leader also plans to visit Cuba and Ecuador on a trip to promote relationships with some of his close friends in Washington's neighborhood shortly after the U.S. imposed tougher sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. [11]

Ahmadinejad is touring Latin America, and with a visit to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Cuba and then will be in Ecuador to meet with President Rafael Correa. In Iran, Ahmadinejad's administration has created a Spanish language media for its people to learn more of Latin American culture. For her part, presidenta Laura Chinchilla, who did not attend the Ortega swearing in ceremony, did send a message to the Nicaraguan people, wishing them the best for the next five years. [12] Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived on Tuesday in Nicaragua on the second leg of his four-nation Latin American tour. Ahmadinejad wrapped up his five-day trip with Venezuela visit. Upon his arrival at Augusto Cesar Sandino Airport in the Nicaraguan capital Managua, Ahmadinejad and his delegation were welcomed by the Foreign Minister Samuel Santos. They were to attend the inauguration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega for his third term after he won a landslide victory in the presidential election of November 2011. "These two peoples, in different parts of the Earth, are fighting to establish solidarity and justice," Ahmadinejad said. [13] Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (L) shakes hands with his Surinamese counterpart Desire Bouters in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, on January 11, 2012. The Iranian president made the remark in a meeting with his Surinamese counterpart Desire Bouters in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, on Wednesday on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony for the third term of Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega. [14] Visiting Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has called Daniel Ortega his "revolutionary brother" on his arrival for the inauguration of the Nicaraguan leader's third term. Traveling to the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, after a stop in Venezuela, Ahmadinejad said both the people of Iran and Nicaragua were fighting to establish justice. [15]

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has attended the inauguration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega for his third term in office. Ahmadinejad attended the ceremony in Managua on January 10 alongside his South American ally and fellow critic of U.S. policy, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. [16]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Latin America trip, a whirlwind four-nation tour that began in Venezuela ]] Venezuela on Jan. 8, is now taking him to the inauguration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. The trip is his fifth visit to the region since 2007 and has prompted alarm in some corners of the United States that Iran ]] Iran is using the region as a staging ground to attack U.S. interests. Many who study Iran's relationship with Latin America, in particular Venezuela, say fear of an Iranian threat in the Americas is overblown, at least at this point. [17] There is no doubt that all should exercise vigilance in dealing with crazy actions of bullying powers around the globe. History shows that bullying powers easily change their masks to pursue their sinister goals as they have done it before during slavery era and now have changed their strategy as advocates of democracy and human rights, he said. Existing ties between Iran and Nicaragua are very deep and promising, he said adding that the two countries are going ahead on the the same path and are doing their best to serve their nations. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to transfer all its experiences to Nicaragua to help deepen relations between the two revolutionary nations, President Ahmadinejad said. Iran is determined to fully back the Nicaraguan government and nation in dealing with regional and global developments, he said. The Nicaraguan president, for his part, welcomed and thanked the Iranian president for his participation in the swearing in ceremony and said Iran and Nicaragua have unified stands and are making efforts for establishment of peace worldwide. The Islamic Republic of Iran and Nicaragua play a significant role in establishing peace and security in the region and world, he said. Latin America used to be the backyard of the U.S. and Europe in the past but those nations residing in that region have stood up to the U.S. which proves their independence, said the Nicaraguan president. World nations should adopt a unified strategy to deal with global arrogance which could be a positive move in their path of development, peace and security, Ortega said. [18]

ISNA - Tehran Service: Foreign Policy TEHRAN (ISNA)-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took part in the swearing-in ceremony of Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega as he stated the second leg of his tour to Latin America. Ahmadinejad congratulated his Nicaraguan counterpart on his re-election, calling him a "revolutionary leader" and expressed hope his re-election would boost the welfare of the country. He decisively supported Iran's right to access to peaceful nuclear energy, stressing that using nuclear energy is the legal right of every nation and no one can deprive any nation of it. [19] Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega on Tuesday urged Israel to destroy its nuclear weapons to foster peace in the Middle East as he hosted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is touring Latin America. [20] Nicaragua's president and longtime U.S. foe Daniel Ortega is stirring old tensions with Washington by inviting a special guest of honor to his inauguration Tuesday: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the 1980s, the U.S. backed the Contra rebels to fight Mr. Ortega's communist Sandinista government - a dark chapter in both countries' history that closed when Ortega was swept from office in democratic elections in 1990. [21]

Iranian Presence in Central America Cause of Suspicion By Costa Rican Authorities The Iranian presence in the region, led by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is the cause for restlessness and suspicion for Costa Rican authorities. This concern was state by Costa Rica's Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo, before Ahmadinejad's visit to Nicaragua on Tuesday, for the swearing ceremony of Daniel Ortega's third term - two consecutive - as president of the neighbouring country. [12]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are virulent critics of America. The United States, European Union and the Organization of American States had cast doubt on the conduct and outcome of the Nicaraguan presidential elections, which Ortega won with massive lead over his opponents. His Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) also won a comfortable majority in the Congress, making it strong enough to enact constitutional amendments. [22] "Savage capitalism, it is no longer possible. There is no space on this planet for savage capitalism," Ortega said in a wide-ranging inauguration speech that touched on a international events, including war in Afghanistan, last year's earthquake in Japan and the killing of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Shortly after taking his oath of office, Ortega hugged Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who were among a number of dignitaries at the ceremony. [23] Syrian President Bashar al-Assad calls protesters against him "terrorists" but also promises some government reforms, including a new constitution. He says the people will get to vote by March. The country's constitution supposedly prohibits presidents from being re-elected, but that hasn't stopped him. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are scheduled to be on hand for his inauguration. [24]

Thousands of Nicaraguan citizens are expected to attend the inauguration in Managua's Revolution Square. They will be joined by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is touring the region. [25] Venezuelas Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were among the leaders attending the inauguration in the capital. [26]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Nicaragua on Tuesday to attend the inauguration of the Central American leader's new term. [27]

President of Iran in Nicaragua, Extols Solidarity The President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad depicted Nicaragua today as a beautiful, supportive country upon arriving in this capital for the inauguration of re-elected President Daniel Ortega. [28] President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran will be the guest of honor at the inauguration of Nicaragua's newly-reelected president, Daniel Ortega. [29]

"Israel's nuclear weapons have endangered the security of the Middle-East," Ortega said, addressing his presidential inauguration ceremony on Tuesday. Israel is believed to be the sole possessor of nuclear arms in the Middle-East with over 200 ready-to-launch warheads in its stockpile. "We ask for the nuclear disarmament of the regime and other nuclear powers which possess atomic bombs," he stated at the ceremony also attended by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. [27]

Speaking in a ceremony where he was sworn in for a second consecutive term in office, Ortega attacked the U.S. "occupation" of Afghanistan and Iraq, condemned the killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and offered a brief valediction to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Ortega - flanked by his close ally, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez - defended Iran's stated intention to develop atomic energy for peaceful ends, an explanation Western powers say is a cover for a nuclear weapons programme. "Simply by starting to push for talks in the region in which the steps are laid down for Israel to give up and destroy these nuclear arms, I'm certain this would bring about great peace in the region," the former Marxist guerrilla said. Western powers are ignoring those with nuclear weapons and threatening a country which only wanted atomic energy for peaceful purposes, Ortega added, pointing to Iran. [20] Ortega is quoted as offering support to Ahmadinejad on Iran's dispute with the international community over the Iranian nuclear program, saying: "Countries have the right to develop nuclear energy." The former Sandinista guerrilla leader also called on Israel to destroy its nuclear weapons, while condemning what he called the U.S. "occupation" of Afghanistan and Iraq and denouncing the killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. Ortega also offered a brief valediction to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, saying: "May he rest in peace." Ahmadinejad is reported to have greeted Ortega by calling him a "revolutionary brother," and saying both Nicaragua and Iran are "fighting to establish solidarity and justice." [16] According to his agenda, in addition of meetings with Cuban authorities, the Iranian leader will give a magisterial lecture at the Main Lecture hall of the Havana University, and lay a wreath to Cuban national hero Jose Marti at the Revolution Square. Ahmadinejad arrives in the island in his third stop of a Latin American tour that took him to Venezuela and Nicaragua, and will also include Ecuador. In late 2011, a Cuban trade delegation carried out a working visit to that Arab nation, where they reviewed with local representatives economic, business and financial links, as well as some possibilities to expand them. Havana and Teheran established diplomatic relations in 1975, and they began to boost them in 1979, after the triumph of the Islamic Revolution. The Latin American tour of Ahmadinejad, who has been in Cuba in 2006 to attend the 14th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement, coincide in time with an escalade of tensions between Iran and the United States, as of a White House effort to isolate Teheran for its nuclear program. [30] President Ahmadinejad defined Nicaragua and Iran as two solidary, revolutionary countries in two different poles of the Earth, fighting to guarantee stability, security and justice. The people of Nicaragua are known around the world for their struggles and all they have done with great dignity, to achieve justice and peace, said Ahmadinejad, who thanked God for the opportunity of bringing him once more to this country and wished wellbeing, prosperity and success to every fighting and solidary people on Earth. As part of his Latin American tour, the President of Iran, who arrived from Venezuela, will later visit Cuba and Ecuador. [28] Bouters, for his part, said the economic crisis in European countries and the U.S. reflects an emerging collapse of their economies. The Surinamese president called for the expansion of ties with progressive countries such as Iran on regional and international developments. Iran's President Ahmadinejad arrived in Nicaragua on the second leg of his Latin American tour on Tuesday. He kicked off his five-day Latin American tour in the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday. [14]

Ortega pointed out the U.S. and Zionist regime possessing atomic bomb, accuse Iran of building atomic bomb whereas the country with a great record of culture needs no atomic bomb at all. He continued Zionist regime's nuclear drive endangers Middle East's security and called for nuclear disarmament of the regime and all world powers. Ahmadinejad opened his tour to Latin American countries Sunday. [19]

Presidents from all other Central American nations attended the inauguration, but the one who received the most press attention was, who is touring the region to bolster Iran's alliances in Latin America at a moment of sharp confrontation with Washington over Iran's nuclear program. [5] Attending the inauguration were mostly Central American and Caribbean leaders, as well as Crown Prince Felipe of Spain. The United States, which complained about the disputed vote that gave Ortega a landslide in November, sent representation from its embassy, according to Nicaraguan authorities. The election strengthened Ortega's grip on power, giving him a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time. Backed with petrodollars from Chavez, Ortega built his re-election strategy on welfare programs that have cut poverty in Central America's poorest nation. [20] Laura Chinchilla is lone Central American head of state to skip out on inauguration ceremony. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, left, celebrates with First Lady Rosario Murillo in Managua on Monday a day before his re-inauguration. [9] Managua, Nicaragua (CNN) -- Daniel Ortega marked the beginning of his third term as Nicaragua's president during an inauguration ceremony Tuesday -- an event both buoyed by his pledges of moderation and marred by months of discord over voter irregularities. The Nicaraguan leader pledged that his socialist government would continue efforts to promote peace and attack poverty. [23] MANAGUA -- Former Marxist guerrilla leader and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega prepared Tuesday to take on a third term backed by a strengthened Congress and international allies from Venezuela to Iran. Ortega won reelection in November with 62 percent of the vote in polls that also gave his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) a majority broad enough in the unicameral legislature to change the constitution. [7] Managua - Nicaraguan ex-rebel Daniel Ortega, joined by allies from Iran and Venezuela, started his third term as president Tuesday with a legislative super-majority that has provoked fears of authoritarianism. [31]

Daniel Ortega is set to be sworn in for his third term as Nicaragua's president today, following his dramatic win in November's elections. Ortega garnered 64 percent of the vote, and his party, the Sandinista National Liberation Front, won a congressional majority, which allows them to make changes to the constitution, CNN reported. Ortega's swearing in comes amidst complaints from opposition that he is trying to secure control of state institutions and that his election as president was unconstitutional. [25] Daniel Ortega has been sworn in for a controversial third term as Nicaraguas president following his landslide victory in Novembers polls. The former Sandinista guerrilla leader has promised "no dramatic changes" during his next five years in office. [26]

Ahmadinejad greeted his "revolutionary brother (President Daniel) Ortega" in Nicaragua, where he was to attend Ortega's inauguration to a third term Tuesday, the second stop on a tour of Latin America. "These two peoples, in different parts of the Earth, are fighting to establish solidarity and justice," Ahmadinejad said. [32] Daniel Ortega is set to mark his third term as Nicaraguas president during an inauguration ceremony on Tuesday - an event both buoyed by his pledges of moderation and marred by months of discord over voter irregularities. [33] Daniel Ortega was starting his third term as president of Nicaragua on Tuesday, shrugging off opposition complaints the re-election was illegal and vowing to govern with moderation. [4]

Suddenly, foreign mining companies -- which could produce gold for about $500 an ounce -- began to take a second look at Nicaragua. They were welcomed back by their old foe, Daniel Ortega, who was reelected in 2006 and won a third five-year term in November. This time around, the Sandinistas have shed their Marxist rhetoric, adopted business-friendly economic policies, and kept Sandinista-controlled labor unions in check. "This is by far the best place (for mining companies) to operate in Central America," said Randy Martin, a U.S. mining engineer and chairman of Hemco Nicaragua, a private company that operates Nicaragua's second-largest gold mine, near the town of Bonanza. [34]

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega lashed out at Israel and condemned the killing of former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi while being sworn into office yesterday alongside Iran's president. The former Sandinista rebel accused western nations of conspiring to keep nuclear technology from developing countries, saying that Iran has a right to develop its own program until Israel disarms. [10] Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday night local time attended at the swearing-in ceremony of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in the Revolution Square in Managua where the formation of anti-imperialist revolution of Nicaraguan nation against colonialism and imperialism. [35] Daniel Ortega made a quick show of unity with Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad soon after stepping onstage at his inauguration ceremony, with the three huddling together and clasping hands. Mr Chavez later received a standing ovation and kissed his hands, raising them in appreciation of the crowd. [26]

Ortega's closest and most financially supportive ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, attended the ceremony after playing host to Ahmadinejad in Caracas. [36]

Nicaragua's President Ortega, Venezuela's President Chavez and Iran's President Ahmadinejad shake hands before Ortega's swearing-in ceremony in Managua. [20] Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega gestures to supporters while flanked by his wife Rosario Murillo after receiving the presidential sash during his swearing-in ceremony at the Revolution Square in Managua January 10, 2012. [1] Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, left,. Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, left, and his wife Rosario Murillo raise their arms as they greet supporters after Ortega received his presidential certificate from the Electoral Supreme Council as winner of the presidential elections in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. [37]

President Hugo Chávez delivered a speech to the military cadets of the Naval School of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) shortly before leaving for Nicaragua to attend the inauguration of President Daniel Ortega. [38]

Since Ortega's return to power by ballot box in 2007, Washington's response has been limited. The U.S. has criticized his antidemocratic power-grab and cut $64 million in Millennium Challenge development aid, but generally tried to work with the Ortega administration while turning a deaf ear to the Sandistas' "Anti-yanqui" diatribes. Now several Republican congressmen now want to use the Iran issue to turn up the heat on Ortega and reclassify him from State Department bugbear to national security threat - a dubious distinction the Sandinista government hasn't had since the 1980s. "This trip by Ahmadinejad to Nicaragua reaffirms why the Obama administration's lack of action regarding the undemocratic and fraudulent measures taken by the Ortega regime in the last election in Nicaragua are not only misguided, but could pose a threat to our national security as a State Sponsor of Terrorism is given a warm welcome in our backyard," Florida Congressman David Rivera (R), of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told the Monitor. [21] Defeated in 1990 elections, Ortega returned to power in 2007 after 17 years of right-wing governments. Many analysts believe his relationship with Iran has so far produced little more than symbolism and rhetoric, while risking U.S. ties. Ortega is riding a wave of popular support at home, where his latest term saw economic growth despite the global crisis, though the country of almost six million still remains the poorest in the Americas after Haiti. [8] Many analysts believe Ortega's relationship with Iran has so far produced little more than symbolism and rhetoric, while risking U.S. ties. Ortega, 66, is riding a wave of popular support at home, where his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) now has a majority broad enough in the unicameral legislature to change the constitution. His latest term saw economic growth despite the global crisis, though the country of almost six million remains the poorest in the Americas after Haiti. [9] In Latin America, Venezuela's relationship with Iran raises the deepest strategic concerns for the West, although Tehran has the strongest economic ties with Brazil. Ortega, 66, is riding a wave of popular support at home, after winning reelection with 62 percent of the vote in November and a super majority in Congress for his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). His latest term saw economic growth despite the global crisis. [32]

Israel, which Ahmadinejad once said should we wiped off the map, is believed to have nuclear weapons. It has never formally admitted to possessing them. Ahmadinejad is visiting leftist leaders in Latin America known for their antagonism to the United States. His visit comes after the Islamic Republic fanned tensions with western powers by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil shipping lane, in response to possible new sanctions over its nuclear plans. In his long speech, Ortega called the killing of Gaddafi in October a "crime" and said the late Libyan leader should have been put on trial if there had been evidence against him. [20] Laughing, Chavez said Ahmadinejad is traveling through "the axis of evil of Latin America." Iran finds itself under increasing pressure in the standoff over its nuclear program, and in response to the latest U.S. sanctions has threatened to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, an important transit route for oil tanker shipments. [11] Ortega and Chavez have been staunch defenders of Ahmadinejad, who has come under pressure from U.S. sanctions intended to rein in Tehran's nuclear program. In his first comments after taking office, Ortega said that "there is an entire conspiracy against Iran," and suggested Ahmadinejad propose "disarming Israel's nuclear stockpile, in order to bring peace to the region." Both Ortega and Chavez also defended late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was ousted by a popular uprising aided by NATO airpower and killed in October. [37] Ahmadinejad visited with Chavez as tensions rose with the U.S. over Tehran's nuclear program and a death sentence against an American man convicted of working for the CIA. Venezuela is the first leg of a four-nation tour that will also take Ahmadinejad to Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador. [11]

Ahmadinejad said both Iran and Nicaragua are "on the road to fight for the establishment of security and justice" and referred to Ortega as "my brother president." The Nicaragua stop for Ahmadinejad comes as two assailants on a motorcycle attached magnetic bombs on Wednesday to the car of an Iranian university professor working at a key nuclear facility, killing him and wounding two others, according to a semi-official news agency report. [5] Chinchilla is expected to attend the inauguration ceremony of new Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina on Saturday in Guatemala City. Ahmadinejad greeted his "revolutionary brother Ortega" on arriving in Nicaragua on Tuesday and said the two nations were "fighting to establish solidarity and justice." [9] Ortega counts on $500 million of annual aid from firebrand Venezuelan President Chavez to help fund popular social programs for the poor. "A very important new period is starting" today, Chavez said as he arrived at Managua airport Tuesday. Other guests at the inauguration ceremony in Revolution Square included Spain's crown Prince Felipe and Cuban Vice President Ramiro Valdez. [9] In the past few hours, Ortega held meetings in the Presidential Palace with presidents and senior officials who will attend the inauguration ceremony, which will open a five-year term until January 10, 2017. [39]

Ortega's counterparts from Venezuela and Iran and the Presidents of all the Central American countries attended the inauguration, which was boycotted by the main Opposition party, alleging electoral fraud and violation of Constitution in the November polls. [22] Some 8,000 guests - including the presidents of all the other Central American nations - watched as Mr Ortega read the oath. The former rebel won the election with more than 60% of the vote, while his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) won a big enough congressional majority to enact constitutional changes. [26] The 66-year-old leader was able to vie for a third term with the support of a Supreme Court verdict in 2009, which declared the country's two-term presidential limit invalid. Ortega ruled the Central American country for 16 years since his Sandinista movement overthrew dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. [22] Ortega was Marxist rebel who took power in 1979, after toppling the U.S.-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza. He was voted out of office in 1990 but returned to power in 2006 and in November was re-elected by a landslide after improving relations with business leaders in the Central American nation. [10]

Ortega is the first president to be re-elected since the 1979 Sandinista revolution ended the more than 40-year dictatorship of the Somoza family. "The president has all the power that no one in the history of Nicaragua has had in their hands," writer Sergio Ramirez, who was vice president under Ortega during his first mandate in the 1980s, told La Prensa daily. Ortega has promised he will make no "dramatic changes" and maintain ties with business leaders as well as workers. Many former Sandinistas, as well as human rights and women's groups outraged by strict anti-abortion laws, strongly oppose him. [31] Ortega, 66, led the Sandinista revolution that overthrew Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. He was first elected as president in 1985, and ran unsuccessfully in 1990, 1996 and 2001 before being elected again in 2006, according to CNN. Rosario Murillo, Nicaragua's First Lady and presidential spokeswoman, said her husband was "ready" to lead one of the "best governments" in Nicaragua's history, according to the BBC. [25]

Ortega will be sworn in on Tuesday for a second term as president. Daniel Ortega--sporting pink campaign colors rather than the combative red and black of the Sandinista Front (FSLN) and dressed in a business suit, or guaybera, rather than olive drab fatigues--ushers in a modified and somewhat softer era of tyranny as he begins a second consecutive and unconstitutional term as president of Nicaragua. [40] Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Daniel Ortega on assuming the office of President of the Republic of Nicaragua. [41] President Ahmadinejad made the remark in a meeting with his Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega on Wednesday. Recent measures taken by imperialist and arrogant powers are signs of their helplessness in dealing with nations' awakening, he said. [18] TEHRAN (FNA)- Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega condemned Israel's nuclear weapons stockpiles as the main threat to the Middle-East peace and stability, and underlined the necessity for the dismantlement of Israel's nuclear arsenals. [27]

The Nicaraguan president strongly defended Iran's peaceful nuclear program, and reiterated the Iranian nation's right to access civilian nuclear technology. "Every country has the right to use peaceful nuclear energy and no one can deprive any nation of this right," he stressed. [27] Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of targeting nuclear scientists in an effort to halt the country's nuclear program, which western nations say aims to produce nuclear weapons and Ahmadinejad says is for peaceful purposes. [10]

Ahmadinejad dismissed the accusations about Iran's nuclear program in general terms. "They say we're making (a) bomb," the Iranian leader said through an interpreter. [11]

Speaking to the press, Santos highlighted his confidence in the performance of the Sandinista government, after welcoming the Prince of Asturias, Felipe de Borbon, at the Augusto Cesar Sandino airport. Other delegations are also expected to arrive today, including those headed by the leaders of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. [39] Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad listens to a translation during a ceremony to sign agreements at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. [4] President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad added Iran and Nicaragua will stand together despite U.S. efforts against the expansion of ties between Iran and Nicaragua. [42] Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting said that the relations between the two countries are constructive and helpful, and noted to the deep unity between the two nations of Iran and Nicaragua. [42]

"Don't forget what happened in Iraq," Ortega warned. "They swore Saddam Hussein had nuclear weapons. They swore it, and launched an invasion based on that. Then they had to admit. there were no such nuclear weapons." Ahmadinejad greeted his "revolutionary brother Ortega" upon arriving in Nicaragua Tuesday and said the two nations were "fighting to establish solidarity and justice." Ex-rebel Ortega won reelection in November with 62 percent of the vote in polls that also gave his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) a majority broad enough in the unicameral legislature to change the constitution. [8] "People have tried to give many interpretations to the visit of (Ahmadinejad). I think they still don't understand that it is necessary to look for an authentic path toward peace," Ortega said during his inauguration address, stressing that it was within Iran's right to use nuclear technology for energy needs. "They cannot deny that right to any people," he said. [23] Daniel Ortega defended Iran on Tuesday, calling for respect for "Iran's right for the peaceful use of nuclear energy." [35]

Ortega's Machiavellian ability to manipulate Nicaragua's electoral and institutional system is representative of the neo-authoritarianism movement that continues to undermine representative democracy in the Americas. It has brought protest from leaders in both houses of Congress who believe the U.S. should stand more boldly for democracy in the Americas. In the 1980 elections in the U.S., many foreign policy critics asked: "Who lost Nicaragua to the FSLN, Cuba, and the Soviet Union?" They pointed fingers at a well-intentioned but weak President Jimmy Carter. [40] Ortega, who fought against the U.S.-backed contras during the 1980s, won the country's elections in November with 64% of the vote, though subsequent protests and clashes have left several people dead. Nicaragua's constitution bars presidents from being re-elected, but that did not stop Ortega from running in his sixth straight presidential race. [23] The swear-in ceremony will be held in the afternoon, on January 10, at the Revolution Square in the capital of Nicaragua, said the brief text. Ortega won his country's general elections on November 6 with 62.46 percent of the votes and for a second consecutive term he will continue in the presidency. [43] On the path to the podium, Ortega has successfully dismantled Nicaragua's nascent democratic institutions. His assault on democracy began well before the 2006 election and his first term in a pact with corrupt ex-President Arnoldo Aleman to lower requirements for election to the presidency. [40]

The former Sandinista guerrilla leader first became Nicaragua's President in 1985, and won a second term in 2007. [22] Ortega is the first president to be reelected since the 1979 Sandinista revolution ended the more than 40-year dictatorship of the Somoza family. [8]

Ortega is known as a Venezuela ally, had been a public supporter of Gadhafi and remains a stalwart U.S. critic. In his speech Tuesday, the Nicaraguan president decried Gadhafi's killing. [23] In the 1980s, the U.S. backed the Contra rebels to fight Mr. Ortega's communist Sandinista government - a dark chapter in both countries' history that closed when Ortega was swept from office in democratic elections in 1990. [29] Mr Ortega previously ruled Nicaragua for 11 years after leading the Sandinista revolution that overthrew dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. He returned to power in elections in 2006 after three failed attempts. [26] Ironically, Nicaragua's mining boom is taking place under Ortega and the Sandinistas, who were once viewed by the private sector as anti-capitalist archenemies. That's because after the Sandinista guerrillas seized power in 1979, Ortega led a Marxist government that nationalized the mines and expelled foreign mining firms. [34]

Defeated in 1990 elections, Ortega returned to power in 2007 after 17 years of right-wing governments. [9]

Since Ortega's election in 2006, Nicaragua's economy has grown, with GDP increasing 4.5 percent in 2010, according to US Department of State. [25] Late last year, former Costa Rican Ambassador Jaime Daremblum testified before a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that Iran is using Nicaragua to establish a "strategic presence" close to the United States ' borders, just like the U.S. has military troops stationed in the Middle East in close proximity to Iran. "Iran wants to the do exactly the same thing with its presence in Nicaragua," Mr. Daremblum said, starting a buzz that continues to reverberate in Washington. [29] The U.S. warned Latin American states on Friday against expanding diplomatic and business ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressing concern over "Iran's outreach to the Western Hemisphere." Leaders in all the four Latin American countries have in recent years built up diplomatic and trade ties with Iran, while their relations with the United States have been greatly reduced in response to popular demands for an end to dependence on Washington. [14] Last year, the U.S. imposed sanctions on state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA for delivering at least two cargoes of oil products to Iran. Asked about the sanctions against Iran and its threats to block the Strait of Hormuz, Ramirez said OPEC, to which both countries belong, could not get involved in the issue. "Any action that Iran takes in defense of its sovereignty is a matter of Iran," Ramirez said. [11]

I am one of the many silent addicts of the National Post's comment pages, but I have to respond to the letter from Joe Hueglin, who states that: "Iran has no nuclear weapons, nor has it waged war on other countries â€¦ An Iran war may be started by Israel, which believes it alone should possess nuclear weapons in the Middle East." [44] The United States and other countries say Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons technology. Iran denies the allegations, saying that its program is intended for peaceful purposes. [5]

Chavez and his allies back Iran in arguing the program is purely for peaceful purposes. Chavez on Monday accused the U.S. and its European allies of demonizing Iran and using false claims about the nuclear issue "like they used the excuse of weapons of mass destruction to do what they did in Iraq." [11] The U.N. nuclear agency on Monday confirmed that Iran has begun enriching uranium at an underground bunker to a level that can be upgraded more quickly for use in a nuclear weapon than the nation's main enriched stockpile. That development has increased fears among U.S. and European officials about Iran's nuclear ambitions. [11]

Sandinista officials stress that Nicaragua is a sovereign nation that can confederate with any country it wants, including Iran. [21] Sandinista official Jacinto Suarez, the party's secretary of international relations, said Ahmadinejad will be "welcomed" back here on Tuesday, and that Nicaragua sympathizes with Iran's plight. [21] Ahmadinejad previously visited Venezuela and Nicaragua as part of an effort by an increasingly isolated Iran to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties in the region. [45] After Nicaragua, Ahmadinejad will head to Cuba and Ecuador. The countries not on his agenda, however, are more telling: he will not be visiting the region's powerhouse economies, most notably Brazil. That is significant because former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reached out to Ahmadinejad, inviting him to visit in 2009. [17] During the four-nation trip, President Ahmadinejad will also visit Cuba and Ecuador for talks with senior officials of the two countries on the expansion of bilateral relations. [14]

In the 21-hour trip to the Caribbean island, the Iranian leader is expected to meet with with Cuban President Raul Castro as well as Fidel Castro and speak at the University of Havana. Ahmadinejad leaves Cuba for his final stop on the trip in Ecuador. [45] A boy holding Iranian national flags stands on the vehicle carrying Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. [44] TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran and Managua are "fighting to establish solidarity and justice" in two various parts of the world. [32]

Tehran, Jan 11, IRNA - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the era of unjust hegemony is over and the global arrogance is on the verge of collapse. [18]

In addition to president Ahmadinejad, presidents of five countries and a number of vice presidents, prime minister and ambassadors from countries were attended at the ceremony too. [35] Only a handful of countries in the region - mostly impoverished, with the exception of Venezuela - extend an open hand to Ahmadinejad and Venezuela is the clear ringleader. Without him in office - a possibility given Venezuela's presidential election in October, as well as his cancer diagnosis - the other countries very well may forgo the friendship, says Meir Javedanfar, an expert on contemporary Iranian politics at the Interdisciplinary Center - Herzliya in Israel. [17] The Iranian president dismissed Western fears about a growing nuclear row as "something to laugh about," on Monday night in Venezuela. [32]

We will share the joy of the Central American people," said the Venezuelan president before boarding the plane to Managua. [38] Cable channels throughout the Central American nation were blocked during Tuesday's inauguration ceremony, which drew a crowd of thousands and was broadcast on national television. [23] So far the only aid Iran has given the Central American country is a clinic in the capital that cost $1.5 million. [4]

Iran's diplomatic mission in Nicaragua - three guys sharing a rented house - is "the smallest diplomatic mission in the entire American continent," according to Iranian Ambassador Akbar Esmaeil Pour. [21] Presidents of Iran and Nicaragua in the bilateral negotiations were discussed latest regional and international developments and the importance of deep and continuous cooperation of the two countries to establish peace, justice and security in the world. [42] Government officials signed two agreements promoting industrial cooperation and worker training. Chavez said both Venezuela and Iran are peaceful countries that weather a battery of suspicion and accusations by critics. "When we devils get together. it's like they go crazy," Chavez said. [11] Washington and other governments believe Iran is using the nuclear program to develop atomic weapons. [11]

Ortega counts on $500m of annual aid from Chavez to help fund popular social programs for the poor and has courted business and religious leaders in recent years. [31] Next to Chavez sat Ahmadinejad and his interpreter. Reflecting on the Iraq war, Ortega remembered Saddam with the words: "may he rest in peace." Saddam was hanged in 2006, three years after he was overthrown by a U.S.-led invasion. [20] Chavez has given Ortega's government over $600 million a year in donations and discounted oil to help, the AP reported. [25]

As usual, President of the Bolivarian Republic Hugo Chávez featured widely on 2011 year's agenda. There is no doubt that his disease was the big news of the year; however, beyond his health, 2011 was filled with social conflicts, deterioration of public services and new measures which diversify the controls that national government has been exerting on financial matters. [38]

Fraudulent FSLN possession of a supermajority in Nicaragua's single national legislative body means that Ortega now controls all the institutions of the Nicaraguan state: the legislature, the courts, and the electoral tribunal. [40] Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Samuel Santos greeted the Iranian head of State at Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport, from where the visitor saluted the people of Nicaragua and every independent people worldwide. [28] Contrary to rumors that Iranians are flooding into Nicaragua without visas to establish a beachhead against the United States, Pour insists the "Iranian colony" here is less than 40 people, many of whom have been here for decades. [21]

"Rallying dictators against the United States is the central agenda item of Ahmadinejad's trip to the region," Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement. [45]

Despite that controversy, the 66-year-old Ortega won 64 percent of the vote in November, though opposition parties allege that total was inflated by fraud. Ahmadinejad first visited Nicaragua in 2007, when he promised cooperation in energy and a port development project. [4] Nicaraguas First Lady and presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo earlier said Mr Ortega was "ready" to lead one of the "best governments" in Nicaraguas history. [26]

Ortega was first elected as president in 1985, and ran unsuccessfully in 1990, 1996 and 2001 before being elected again in 2006. CNN's Luis Carlos Velez contributed to this report. [23] The company is spending large sums on reforestation, water purification, and other projects in La Libertad, which is the hometown of President Daniel Ortega. [34]

The leftist 66-year-old Ortega, who has long since traded guerrilla garb for white shirts and Christian messages of peace, returned to office in an evening ceremony in Managua's Revolution Square, decked out in thousands of flowers. "There is no place left on this planet for undiluted capitalism," Ortega said. "God willing, people will think hard about this crisis, not about how to save the model, but about how to change the model for one full of love, justice and solidarity." [8] Ortega took the oath of office in front of about 8,000 people gathered at Revolution Plaza, the site where Ortega and his ragtag band of Sandinista rebels celebrated the overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. [36]

Since the countrys November elections, Ortega, 66, has reached for the political middle, making overtures to the business class with promises of encouraging foreign investment. His critics say they fear the former leftist revolutionary is looking to solidify Sandinista party control over state institutions and have pointed to reports of ballot fraud and voter intimidation. [33] Sandinista congressional leader Edwin Castro said there were no plans for constitutional reform, despite opposition fears. Ortega has promised that he will make no "dramatic changes" and will maintain ties with both business leaders and workers in his new five-year term. [7] At an inaugural ceremony in capital Managua, the Leftist Sandinista leader told his countrymen not to expect any dramatic changes while he is in power for the next five years. [22] Chavez was also due at the inauguration ceremony in Managua's Revolution Square. [32] Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla was absent Tuesday afternoon for the inauguration ceremony. [9]

President was attended at swearing-in ceremony of revolutionary anti-imperialist president of Nicaragua. [35] "Gold mining today means a lot of investment and a lot of employment," said Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Nicaraguan Private Business Council. Mining companies, he added, "have a good relationship with the communities. That's very important for a sector that has not always been very friendly with communities." It helps that Nicaragua, in some form or fashion, has long been connected to gold mining. [34]

Gold is now the country's No. 3 export and has helped Nicaragua post the highest economic growth rate in Central America. In Colombia, Peru and elsewhere in South America, gold-mining projects have often sparked protests because they can damage the environment and disrupt rural communities. [34] Despite a flurry of deals signed in recent years, some say Iran's economic and political influence in Latin America is shrinking. [17] Ahmadinejad, who is on a four-nation tour of Latin American nations, is due to travel on to Cuba and Ecuador. [16] "Fortunately, the majority of Latin American countries are alert. Everyone knows that those words. are a joke. It's something to laugh at." "It's clear they're afraid of our development," Ahmadinejad said. They joked that their relationship shouldn't cause any concern. Ahmadinejad said if they were together building anything like a bomb, "the fuel of that bomb is love." [11]

Ortega's closest and most financially supportive ally, Chávez, attended the ceremony after playing host to Ahmadinejad in Caracas. [5] With Chavez at times looking on intently from the side, Ortega took aim at arms manufacturers, and said the U.S. invasion of Iraq had been built on falsehood. [20] Mr Ortega himself has courted the business sector. He has also introduced social programmes to help the countrys poor, with help put at some $500m (£323m) a year from Venezuela. [26] Ortega, who fought against the US-supported Contra rebels in the 1980s, has pledged "not to use the National Assembly to change the country's course" and promised "peace, stability and tranquility," the Associated Press reported. [25] I am surprised that no one has commented on the current and future political astuteness of a politician marrying someone who is fluent in English, French and Persian. Those of Iranian descent form a steadily growing portion of the Canadian population. She might make (Prime Minister?) MacKay a key figure in any future national or international dealings that involve Iran. I venture that Ms. Afshin-Jam will play an active role in Mr. MacKay's eventual candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party, or his plans for the country's top job. That is the true relevance of this marriage, and it may very well act in shaping the future political landscape of our country. [44] Chavez played on the same theme, saying Iran has been helping manufacture an "atomic bicycle" at a plant in the country. The Venezuelan leader said Iran has helped his country build 14,000 homes as well as factories that produce food, tractors and vehicles. [11]

The only visible Iranian investment in Nicaragua so far has been a $1.5 million health clinic, which poses more of a threat to flu symptoms than U.S. national security. [21] Ahmadinejad's Nicaragua trip will be followed with a visit to Cuba and Ecuador for talks with senior officials on the expansion of bilateral ties. [13] Ortega first governed at the height of the Cold War - supported and inspired by Cuba and the former Soviet Union - suspending civil rights and taking on the US-backed "Contra" rebels. [31] In the 2008 municipal elections, Ortega and the FSLN then fraudulently garnered power at the local level and began a systematic assault on civil society. By 2011, Ortega engineered the quasi-legal maneuvers that allowed him to justify proceeding with his re-election campaign despite a clear constitutional prohibition against it. On election day in November 2011, Ortega delivered his coup de grace to the democratic process, winning a popular majority while eliminating transparency, fairness, and independence. [40]

Mr Ortega concluded the night with a lengthy speech addressing topics ranging from nuclear weapons, to religion, to drug trafficking. As he spoke, a Spanish-language version of John Lennons "Give Peace a Chance" played softly on repeat. [26]

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