Daniel Ortega appears after two-month absence

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega appeared in public on Monday after a two-month absence that had fuelled speculation about the 80-year-old leader’s health.

Ortega attended a ceremony in Managua marking the 50th anniversary of the death of the founder of his Sandinista National Liberation Front party.

Footage broadcast on state television showed Ortega speaking only a few words and walking slowly during an appearance of about 20 minutes. He was accompanied by his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo.

His previous public appearance was at a military ceremony on September 2. The 68-day absence was his longest since he returned to power in 2007.

Ortega suffers from lupus and kidney problems, but his government does not release medical reports or explain his prolonged absences from public view.

Ortega and Murillo tightened control after 2018 protests that left 300 people dead, according to the United Nations. In 2025, Ortega amended the constitution to make Murillo co-president and put all state institutions under their authority.