Nicaragua » History

Recent History

Presidential and legislative elections were held on 4th November 2001; the country's fourth free and fair elections since 1990. Enrique Bolanos of the PLC was elected to the Nicaraguan presidency, defeating the FSLN candidate Daniel Ortega, by 14 percentage points. The elections were characterized by international observers as free, fair and peaceful.

In November 2006 the presidential election was won by Daniel Ortega, bringing him back into authority after 16 years of resistance. International observers, including the Carter Center, judged the election to be free and fair. Former Sandinista president Daniel Ortega won the November 2006 presidential election with 38% of the vote and took office in Jan. 2007.

Longer Historical Perspective

Nicaragua, which derives its name from the chief of the area's leading Indian tribe at the time of the Spanish Conquest, was first settled by the Spanish in 1522.The history of Nicaragua remained relatively static for three hundred years following the conquest. There were minor civil wars and rebellions, but they were quickly suppressed. The region was subject to frequent raids by Dutch, French and British pirates; the city of Granada was invaded twice, in 1658 and 1660.

Nicaragua became a part of the Mexican Empire and then gained its independence as a part of the United Provinces of Central America in 1821 and as an independent republic in its own right in 1838. In 1909, the United States provided political support to conservative-led forces rebelling against President Zelaya.

U.S. motives included differences over the proposed Nicaragua Canal, Nicaragua's potential as a destabilizing influence in the region, and Zelaya's attempts to regulate foreign access to Nicaraguan natural resources.