Written by Staff Writer at CNN
Nicaragua’s electoral board on Wednesday declared businessman Denis Ortega, son of the late Sandinista revolutionary leader Daniel Ortega, the victor of the country’s presidential election.
Daniel Ortega, who served as President from 1979 to 1990, retained his seat in the Nicaraguan Congress.
Challenger Eduardo Montealegre, who called himself “simply Mr. Democracy,” held fewer than 60,000 votes, just five percentage points ahead of Ortega.
Ortega, a 62-year-old businessman, campaigned on a platform of national reconciliation and improving the economy after eight years of leftist rule under Ortega’s wife, Rosario Murillo.
Ortega, who worked for UNICEF before returning to politics, has denied accusations of corruption and vowed to try to maintain a technocratic government.
Ortega’s campaign was widely criticized as “parody” by international election monitors — especially his plans to build a series of super-sized factories in his home town in rural Managua, several of which also drew the ire of human rights groups.
The Nicaraguan electoral board determined in September that there was insufficient evidence to back complaints filed by Montealegre’s party, which alleged widespread voter intimidation, and said no further investigation would be conducted.
Montealegre has yet to say whether he will challenge the electoral board’s ruling.