Nicaragua's Ortega Headed Back to Power, Blow to U.S.

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Former Marxist revolutionary Daniel Ortega was headed back to power on Monday in a presidential election 16 years after Nicaragua's voters ousted him to end a brutal civil war with U.S.-trained Contra rebels.

Ortega's almost certain victory was a blow to Washington and reinforces an anti-U.S. alliance in Latin America led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

With returns in from 62 percent of polling stations in Sunday's election, Ortega had 38.6 percent support and a big enough lead over his nearest rival to seal a first-round win.

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He stopped short of claiming victory on Monday night, preferring to wait until final official results, but he said was ready to work with other parties to ``eradicate poverty and reassure the private sector and international investors.''

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-nicaragua-election.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1162868619-HXHZa8lWSnpn/H3Os7ksPA