Ortega poised for landslide victory in Nicaragua elections

President and former Sandinista revolutionary Daniel Ortega is heading for a crushing victory in Nicaragua’s presidential election, officials said.

Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council said Mr Ortega has nearly 64% of the votes, compared to 29% for his nearest challenger, Fabio Gadea, with almost 7% of the votes counted.

Electoral council President Roberto Rivas said a parallel count representative of the entire vote gives Mr Ortega a big advantage as well.

Conservative Arnoldo Aleman, a former president and perennial candidate, was a distant third with 6%.

Mr Ortega is seeking a third term, his second consecutive, after the Supreme Court overturned term limits in the constitution.