AP News, January 13th, 2007
A former ally of President Daniel Ortega said Friday that he was willing to look at forming a legislative alliance with the new leader, a move that would give the new government the majority it needs to pass laws.
In comments to reporters, former President Arnoldo Aleman left open the possibility that his Liberal Constitutionalist Party's 18 lawmakers would join with Ortega's Sandinista party, but said his party wanted to serve as a "constructive opposition."
The Sandinistas have 37 lawmakers in Congress, short of the majority needed in the 92-member house.
Also Friday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez left Nicaragua after promising a slew of aid and investment, including cash, oil under preferential terms, a refinery and factories.
Since his inauguration late Wednesday, Ortega has spent most of his two days in office shuttling Chavez around the capital and signing trade and aid packages with the Venezuelan leader. Government offices have been mostly empty, awaiting members of the new government.
Before taking office, Ortega assured officials from the U.S., once his most bitter enemy, that he would maintain ties and remain part of the regional Central American Free Trade Agreement. But none of those promises have been evident so far.
Ortega led Nicaragua throughout the 1980s after his Sandinista rebel movement pushed out dictator Anastasio Somoza. His decade in power was marred by a U.S.-led insurgency that eventually contributed to his 1990 electoral loss to Violeta Chamorro.
Since losing power, he ran for president three consecutive times, losing twice before finally claiming victory in November.
