Nicaraguan Pro-Democracy Rally Slated for Tomorrow

Under the banner of "Dictadura No!" thousands of Nicaraguans are expected to attend a rally Friday afternoon, July 11, 2008, in front of the residence of President Daniel Ortega.  Demonstrators plan to peacefully march all around the President's very large property to show that they do not accept the direction their country is headed.

The march was inspired by the ruling party's treatment of rival political parties, namely the PLC and MRS parties, which the FSLN party has been trying to eliminate from the ballot in upcoming municipal elections.  Critics say Ortega is attempting to consolidate total political power by slowly and systematically eliminating all legitimate opposition.

Ortega, who won the presidency with a mere 38% of the vote, has seen his approval ratings plummet since taking office in January, 2007.  Rising energy and food costs, attacks on the media, threats of property confiscation, and an atmosphere of pessimism have spread throughout the nation. 

Organizers are using the internet as one means of coordinating the effort, using websites such as www.TheRealNicaragua.com to reach a large part of their audience.