Managua - Nicaraguans began voting in presidential elections yesterday with Mr Daniel Ortega, the Sandinista revolutionary who led a war against US-backed rebels in the 1980s, hoping for power.
Going into the election opinion polls showed Mr Ortega running neck and neck with conservative businessman Mr Enrique Bolanos, of the ruling Liberal Party, as he fought for a political comeback more than 11 years after being voted out of office.
Mr Ortega (55) is opposed by business leaders and by the US government but he has the support of many of Nicaragua's poor. He was voted out of the office in 1990 and defeated again in 1996.
Long lines of people formed outside polling stations across the Central American country before voting began at 7 a.m. (1 p.m. Irish time) and there were complaints when many stations opened late. However, there were no reports of violence.