Daniel Ortega Net Worth: The Life, Wealth, and Crime of Nicaragua's Dictator

Nicaragua's left-wing Sandinista revolution was a huge turning point in the country's history. Decades later, its leader, Daniel Ortega, sits as Nicaragua's president. However, his rule has reportedly been mired in corruption and oppression.

Daniel Ortega Humble Beginnings: From Bank Robber to Revolutionary to President and Dictator

Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra was the son of a shoemaker before he joined the left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Before he became Nicaragua's dictator, he was fighting another dictator Anastasio Somoza, whose family had ruled Nicaragua since 1936.

Daniel Ortega tried to get a law degree as a student but soon dropped out to commit to the Sandinistas. According to BBC, he tried robbing a branch of Bank of America in the capital, Managua, using a machine gun in a bid to raise funds.

He was eventually arrested and tortured and stayed in prison for seven years. A deal between the Nicaraguan government and Cuba sent him and other Sandinistas to the communist country.

There, he was trained in guerrilla warfare before secretly returning to his home country. The Sandinista Revolution turned into a full-scale civil war and forced President Somoza into exile in 1979.

The Sandinistas took power, and Ortega was elected to become his successor in 1984. However, during his first presidency, the United States sanctioned Nicaragua and conducted its Contra war against them.

While the U.N. ultimately found that the United States violated international law in its intervention, the Contra war and U.S. sanctions ultimately led to the Sandinista downfall.

Crippling economic issues led to Ortega's defeat at the hands of liberal candidate Violeta Chamorro, a former Ortega ally. Ortega then went on to lose two more elections in 1995 and 2001, and charges of rape and child abuse by his stepdaughter Zoilamérica Narváez did not help him.

He avoided a trial by invoking his immunity as a member of Congress. However, after all those election losses, Ortega had a comeback in 2006.

He campaigned on moving away from his communist roots and seeking foreign investments. However, he still embraced his Sandinista roots as he carried out Marxist slogans. He also received praise from the Catholic Church for his staunch anti-abortion stance.

Ortega won that election and became president once again. Since he retook power, Ortega quashed the opposition, went after the media, and even feuded with the Roman Catholic Church over their criticism of his rule.

His crackdowns led to a 2018 uprising, with calls for him to resign. However, this too was quashed violently. It has led to an even tougher crackdown on opposition and independent media. Opposition leaders, journalists, and even Church leaders were forced into exile.

Daniel Ortega also arrested all of those who ran against him in last year's elections, which he won unopposed. The U.S. and EU called his win "a farce."

How Much is Daniel Ortega's Net Worth in 2022?

Nicaragua is currently ranked as one of the poorest countries in Latin America. However, as a politician, Daniel Ortega may be loaded with cash. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he is worth around $50 million.

Unfortunately, like many other South American politicians, this number must be taken with a grain of salt, as many of them have undeclared assets at home and abroad.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: How Daniel Ortega 'Demolished' Democracy in Nicaragua - From PBS NewsHour