US envoy says no apology for criticizing Nicaragua court ruling allowing Ortega to run again

October 29th, 2009 Nicaraguan Congress will not debate re-electionMANAGUA, Nicaragua — The Nicaraguan Congress on Wednesday narrowly rejected an initiative to force a debate on whether to annul a hotly disputed court ruling allowing President Daniel Ortega to seek re-election. The vote in the National Assembly's controlling commission went along party lines with congressional leader Rene Nunez — a member of Ortega's leftist Sandinista party — casting the deciding vote against the initiative put forward by the opposition Liberal Party.

October 29th, 2009 Nicaraguan leader's allies protest at US EmbassyMANAGUA, Nicaragua — The Nicaraguan government accused the United States of applying an "interventionist and destabilizing policy" Thursday after the U.S. ambassador criticized a ruling allowing leftist President Daniel Ortega to seek re-election.

October 20th, 2009 Nicaragua court says Ortega can seek re-electionMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Leftist President Daniel Ortega appears to have won the right to seek re-election in 2011, though opponents call the decision illegal and are vowing to fight it. The constitutional commission of the Supreme Court on Monday overturned a ban on consecutive re-election and on serving more than two terms, and the head of Nicaragua's electoral commission said the ruling is final.

August 29th, 2009 Castro chats live for first time since 2007MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Fidel Castro chatted live via speakerphone with graduating medical students in Nicaragua in the latest of a series of media events showing off the former Cuban leader looking more robust. The 83-year-old Castro, who hasn't been seen in public since falling ill three years ago, called Thursday during the graduation ceremony to congratulate the 44 doctors who had studied in Cuba.

August 25th, 2009 Nicaragua to dredge border river with Costa RicaMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Nicaragua will reroute a river on the border with Costa Rica that has been at the center of a lengthy dispute between the two Central American countries, the Nicaraguan government announced Tuesday. Eden Pastora, president of the committee for development of the San Juan River, said the dredging project will begin at the end of September and cost $1 million.

August 24th, 2009 MANAGUA - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said his country has attained full literacy after about three percent of the country's illiterate population learned to read and write. Ortega made the announcement after Education Minister Miguel de Castilla gave him a certificate stating the full literacy status of the country.

July 21st, 2009 Nicaragua's Ortega eyes recall, end to term limitsMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Nicaraguan opposition lawmakers on Monday condemned a public appeal for constitutional changes by President Daniel Ortega as an attempt to extend term limits and eventually allow the leftist leader's re-election. At a massive celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution on Sunday, the president and former guerrilla fighter proposed to allow recall elections and criticized presidential term limits for being stricter than other public offices.

July 6th, 2009 MANAGUA - Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega Sunday denied an accusation from Honduras' post-coup government that Nicaraguan troops were massing on their shared border. "Brother Honduran soldiers, brother Honduran officials, I want to assure you, swearing before God and nation, that Nicaragua is not deploying troops towards Honduras and that we are not preparing any kind of attack on Honduran garrisons on the border," he told domestic radio.

July 2nd, 2009 Managua Mayor Arguello, former boxing champ, diesMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Managua Mayor Alexis Arguello, a former world boxing great, died at his home Wednesday of a single gunshot to the chest, authorities said in ruling the death a probable suicide. He had been a rising star of the governing Sandinista party despite once bitterly opposing the leftist movement, and authorities declared three days of official mourning.

July 1st, 2009 Managua Mayor Arguello, ex-boxing champ, diesMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Former world boxing great and Managua Mayor Alexis Arguello was found dead at his home Wednesday, prompting three-days of official mourning for a rising star of the Sandinista party who once bitterly opposed the leftist movement. Coroners were conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

June 11th, 2009 US cuts aid to NicaraguaWASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday canceled more than $60 million in assistance to Nicaragua, citing concerns about democracy, rule of law and a free market economy in the Latin American nation now led by a former Marxist guerrilla leader. The board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S.

May 2nd, 2009 Clinton wants renewal of ties to Latin AmericaWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is working to improve deteriorating U.S. relations with a number of Latin American nations to counter growing Iranian, Chinese and Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday.

May 1st, 2009 US sees Iran, Russia, China rising in AmericasWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is working to improve deteriorating U.S. relations with a number of Latin American nations to counter growing Iranian, Chinese and Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday.

May 1st, 2009 Clinton: US seeks to restore Latin American cloutWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is working to improve deteriorating U.S. relations with a number of Latin American nations to counter growing Iranian, Chinese and Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday.

May 1st, 2009 Clinton sees Russia, China rising in AmericasWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is working to improve deteriorating U.S. relations with a number of Latin American nations to counter growing Iranian, Chinese and Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday.