By Steve Kurczy

Guest Writer

The former left-wing president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, was defeated by his conservative rival, Enrique Bolanos, in the most recent presidential elections by a nine-point trail in the polls. This past weekend, soldiers and police were out in force on the streets of the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, as citizens rallied to the polls to support their choice for president. Daniel Ortega and Enrique Bolanos are old adversaries who have always politically opposed one another.

Ortega accused the United States of backing a dirty campaign to stop his return to power. Ortega is a former guerilla leader representing the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). In the 1970's he led the Sandinista revolution to become president in 1979. In the course of Ortega's socialist reform, Bolanos was briefly imprisoned. During his presidency, he became a center for controversy with allegations of sexual abuse and embezzling millions of dollars. While Ortega's image of Fidel Castro was unfavorable with many, he tried to shake it off with candy-floss-pink campaign posters and the slogan, ``Let's have a campaign full of love.''

In 1996, with Bolanos as vice president, the Chamorro administration swept the Sandinistas from power. At age 70, Bolanos resigned from the vice presidency to represent the Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC) in the elections. Many Nicaraguans criticized Bolanos for failing to fight corruption in the Chamorro administration and for not reducing the problems of unemployment and food shortages.

Political Analyst Carlos Chamorro saw little difference in what the two men are offer. ``They're talking the same language -- spending programs for the poor, more resources for education and health.'' Bolanos' win will mean capitalism, more foreign money and possibly the attention of Washington. In fact, the U.S. State Department has openly expressed its support for the election results.