Nicaragua president accuses US over aid delay

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said the US is “taking bread” away from the poor by holding back aid.

The US has announced it will delay US$64m in development aid to Nicaragua for three more months pending the resolution of a November election dispute.

President Daniel Ortega’s leftist Sandinistas won a majority of mayorships in the November vote, which the government defends as fair.

But the opposition argues the vote was fraudulent and complains that the government did not allow international observers.

On Thursday, US Ambassador to Nicaragua Robert Callahan said the aid could be cancelled if no solution is found after the 90-day period.