Nicaragua’s Ortega leads in vote tally after jailing rivals

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) — A day after questioned elections, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government has set about painting as a historic democratic victory what many of the world’s democracies condemned as a sham. Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council said that with nearly all the ballots counted, Ortega had won more than 75% of the vote. The outcome was never in doubt after his government jailed seven of the leading potential opposition candidates, clearing the field for Ortega to sweep to a fourth consecutive term. With all government institutions firmly within Ortega’s grasp and the opposition jailed or in hiding, Ortega eroded what hope remained the country could soon return to a democratic path.