Nicaragua Politics in Electoral Play

Nicaragua's presidential election approaches, yet stays low on the radar. Although voters cast ballots on Nov. 5, just six weeks away, none of the five candidates for president has emerged.

  Nicaragua 
  Originally uploaded by tigerebel3.

Given that one, Daniel Ortega, led the Sandinistas during the US-Soviet proxy wars of 1980s Central America, you'd expect some murmurs from Washington, but little's been said. Bit preoccupied?

One scenario suggests an Ortega victory would mean strengthened ties between Nicaragua and Hugo Chavez-led Venezuela, with shared economic and energy deals and anti-neoliberalism stances. The election was thrown open by the sudden death of candidate Herty Lewites, in July.

Sharp article by Eric Saba in Monday's San Francisco Chronicle.