Ortega Is Winning In Nicaragua

CNN is reporting this morning that Sandinista leader, Daniel Ortega, looks like he's winning the race for president of Nicaragua. The quick count, which is based on a representative sample of polling stations and has a margin of error of only 1.7%, shows Ortega with 38.5% of the vote. His closest competitor is Eduarto Montealegre of the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance who has 29.5% of the vote.

If these numbers hold up, Ortega will return to power as president of Nicaragua. To avoid a runoff, Ortega has to get at least 35% of the vote and finish at least 5 points ahead of the second place finisher.

Of course, the United States is displaying a "sour grapes" attitude. The U.S. Embassy has released a statement saying it is too soon to "make an overall judgement on the fairness and transparency of the process. We are receiving reports of some anamolies in the electoral process, including the late opening of [polling places], the slowness of the voting process and the premature closing of some [polling places]."

After all of the dirty shenanigans the Republicans have pulled in American elections, this is like the pot calling the kettle black. The U.S. needs to leave the Nicaraguans alone, and let them determine their own future.

Roberto Rivas, president of the Nicaraguan Supreme Electoral Council, answered the U.S. charges by saying, "We have promised the Nicaraguan people transparent elections, and that's what we've done. I think there were enough observers to witness that." According to CNN, "polling stations were monitored by more than 18,000 observers -- including three former presidents: the United States' Jimmy Carter, Peru's Alejandro Toledo and Panama's Nicolas Ardito Barletta."