Sandinista has chance to regain power

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Daniel Ortega, the Sandinista leader who battled U.S. efforts to overthrow him in the 1980s, has his best chance in 16 years to win back Nicaragua's presidency when a divided electorate votes on Sunday. A victory would expand the club of hard-left Latin rulers led by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, who has tried to help his ally by shipping cheap oil to the energy-starved nation. Ortega, who led Nicaragua from 1984-1990, has already made three unsuccessful attempts at re-election. His success so far does not reflect a sudden surge in his popularity, as his current poll numbers are well below what he won in the last presidential election. It is due largely to a change in electoral law engineered by his party as well as his own ability to stand his ground while parties around him have splintered.