Ortega begins third term as Nicaraguan president

Jan 11, 2012, 4:06 GMT

Managua - Former Sandinista guerilla Daniel Ortega was sworn in Tuesday for a second consecutive term as Nicaraguan president, his third overall.

The Central American state's constitution bars a president serving more than two but a court decision in 2009 declared the limit invalid, clearing the way for Ortega to stand.

Opposition leader Fabio Gadea called on his supporters to protest peacefully.

Ortega was declared the winner of the November 6 election, which was marred by accusations of fraud.

He was previously president from 1985 to 1990, and again from 2007 until the latest elections in November.

The Supreme Electoral Council said Ortega won more than 62 per cent of the vote.

His Sandinista National Liberation Front holds a large majority in parliament, allowing changes to the constitution without needing the agreement of any other parties.

Gadea and other opposition leaders have refused to recognise the presidential election result, which they say was undermined by vote rigging and violations of the constitution.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez were at the swearing-in ceremony in the capital Managua.

Ahmadinejad is touring allies in Latin America and was due to visit Cuba on Wednesday and Bolivia on Thursday.