Who Is Daniel Ortega? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Born on November 11, 1945, Daniel Ortega is a prominent Nicaraguan politician who has served as the President of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2007 to the present. As of 2025, he is 79 years old. Ortega is a key figure in Nicaragua’s Sandinista National Liberation Front, known for his role in the 1979 Nicaraguan Revolution that overthrew the Somoza dictatorship. His tenure has been marked by significant political controversies and debates regarding democracy and human rights in the country.
| Occupation | Revolutionaries |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | November 11, 1945 |
| Age | 79 Years |
| Birth Place | La Libertad, Chontales, Nicaragua |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | Nicaragua |
Popularity
Daniel Ortega's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As a seasoned politician, Daniel Ortega's physical attributes are not commonly highlighted. However, at 5 feet 10 inches tall and approximately weighing around 165 pounds, he maintains a posture commensurate with his long-standing role in public life. His health and well-being remain a subject of interest among citizens and observers alike.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Daniel Ortega is married to Rosario Murillo, a prominent figure in Nicaraguan politics and Ortega's vice president since 2017. The couple has several children together, and their family has been a critical part of Ortega’s political narrative. Despite some controversies surrounding Ortega’s policies and governance, his relationship with Murillo has remained solid, making them one of the more famous political couples in Nicaragua.
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (born 11 November 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician and dictator who has been the co-president of Nicaragua since 18 February 2025, alongside his wife Rosario Murillo. He was the 54th and 58th president of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990 and from 2007 to 2025. He previously led Nicaragua as the first Coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction from 1979 to 1985.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, estimates suggest that Daniel Ortega's net worth is between $5 million and $10 million. His salary as President is estimated to be around $75,000 annually. However, much of Ortega's wealth has been derived from various investments and business ventures throughout his political career, and his financial dealings have sometimes drawn scrutiny from critics.
Ortega came to prominence with the overthrow and exile of US-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979 during the Nicaraguan Revolution. As a leader in the Sandinista National Liberation Front (, FSLN) Ortega became leader of the ruling Junta of National Reconstruction.
A Marxist–Leninist, Ortega pursued a program of nationalization, land reform, wealth redistribution, and literacy programs during his first period in office. Ortega's government was responsible for the forced displacement of 10,000 indigenous people.
In 1984, Ortega won Nicaragua's first ever free and fair presidential election with over 60% of the vote as the FSLN's candidate. During his first term, he implemented policies to achieve leftist reforms across Nicaragua. Throughout the 1980s, Ortega's government faced a rebellion by US-backed rebels, known as the Contras.
After a presidency marred by conflict and economic collapse, Ortega was defeated in the 1990 Nicaraguan general election by Violeta Chamorro.
Career, Business, and Investments
Daniel Ortega's political career spans several decades, initially rising to power as a revolutionary leader and later becoming a central figure in Nicaraguan politics. Beyond his political engagements, Ortega has been involved in various investments in industries such as agriculture and energy. His administration has been noted for significant projects aimed at boosting Nicaragua’s economy, though these efforts have not come without their controversies, particularly regarding sustainability and governance.
Ortega was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1996 and 2001 but won the 2006 Nicaraguan general election. In office, he allied with fellow Latin American socialists.
In contrast to his previous political career, his second administration abandoned most of his earlier leftist principles, alienating many of his former revolutionary allies, alongside the students and business leaders he also alienated. Under his tenure, Nicaragua has experienced democratic backsliding.
In June 2018, organizations such as Amnesty International and the Organization of American States reported that Ortega had engaged in a violent oppression campaign against anti-government protests.
The violent crackdown and subsequent constriction of civil liberties have led to waves of emigration to neighboring Costa Rica, with more than 30,000 Nicaraguans filing for asylum in that country.
Social Network
Despite being a political figure, Ortega's presence on social media is limited. His administration primarily communicates through official governmental channels, which include the Sandinista National Liberation Front’s official pages and state media. Ortega has garnered both support and opposition on these platforms, reflecting the deeply divided opinions regarding his leadership.
Under Ortega's direction, the FSLN formed the broad National Convergence (Convergencia Nacional) coalition in opposition to the PLC.
Ortega abandoned the revolutionary tone of the past, and infused his campaign with religious imagery, giving thanks in speeches to "God and the Revolution" for the post-1990 democracy, and said a Sandinista victory would enable the Nicaraguan people to "pass through the sea and reach the Promised Land".
The US opposed Ortega's candidacy from the beginning. The US ambassador even appeared with the PLC's Enrique Bolaños while distributing food aid. The 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks doomed Ortega's chances, as the threat of a US invasion became an issue.
Bolanos convinced many Nicaraguans that the renewed US hostility towards terrorism would endanger their country if the openly anti-US Ortega prevailed. Bolanos ended up with 56.3% of the vote, and Ortega won 42.3%.
Education
Daniel Ortega's education history includes limited formal schooling due to the political upheaval in Nicaragua during his youth. He has often emphasized the importance of education and literacy in his political agendas, advocating for reforms and government investments in education during his presidency.
The Contra war claimed 30,000 lives in Nicaragua. The tactics used by the Sandinista government to fight the Contras have been widely condemned for their suppression of civil rights.
On 15 March 1982, the junta declared a state of siege, which allowed it to close independent radio stations, suspend the right of association, and limit the freedom of trade unions.
Nicaragua's Permanent Commission on Human Rights condemned Sandinista human rights violations, accusing them of killing and forcibly disappearing thousands of persons in the first few years of the war. At the 1984 general election Ortega won the presidency with 67% of the vote and took office on 10 January 1985.
In the early phases of the campaign, Ortega enjoyed many institutional advantages, and used the full power of the press, police, and Supreme Electoral Council against the fractured opposition. In the weeks before the November election, Ortega gave a U.N. speech denouncing talks held in Rio de Janeiro on electoral reform.
But by 22 October, the Sandinistas signed an accord with opposition parties to reform electoral and campaign laws, making the process more fair and transparent.
While campaigning, Ortega promoted the Sandinistas' achievements, and at a rally said that "Democracy is literacy, democracy is land reform, democracy is education and public health." International observers judged the election to be the first free election held in the country in more than half a century.
A report by an Irish governmentary delegation stated: "The electoral process was carried out with total integrity. The seven parties participating in the elections represented a broad spectrum of political ideologies." The general counsel of New York's Human Rights Commission described the election as "free, fair and hotly contested".
A study by the US Latin American Studies Association (LASA) concluded that the FSLN (Sandinista Front) "did little more to take advantage of its incumbency than incumbent parties everywhere (including the U.S.) routinely do".
However, the Reagan administration described the elections as "a Soviet-style sham", and contemporary North-American press coverage tended to cast doubt on the election's legitimacy.
