Humberto Ortega, Nicaraguan military chief turned critic, dies at 77
Once a hero of the leftist Sandinistas, Mr. Ortega was put under house arrest after criticizing the “dictatorial” rule of his brother Daniel Ortega.


Nicaraguan military chief Humberto Ortega addresses a news conference in Managua in 1994. (Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images)

By Brian Murphy
October 2, 2024 at 12:27 p.m. EDT

Humberto Ortega, a onetime guerrilla fighter who became chief of Nicaragua’s military in the Sandinista regime led by his brother Daniel Ortega, but who spent his final months under house arrest after decrying his sibling’s “dictatorial” grip, died Sept. 30 in the country’s capital, Managua. He was 77.

A statement by Nicaragua’s armed forces said Mr. Ortega died in a military hospital and suffered from health issues including heart problems. A specific cause of death was not noted.

After the leftist Sandinista Front toppled the U.S.-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979, the two Ortega brothers emerged as pillars of the revolution and leaders in the ensuing battles against rebels, known as contras, supplied and funded by Washington. Daniel was Nicaragua’s leader. Younger brother Humberto had the critical task of rebuilding the military.

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By Brian Murphy
Brian Murphy joined The Washington Post after more than 20 years as a foreign correspondent and bureau chief for the Associated Press in Europe and the Middle East. Murphy has reported from more than 50 countries and has written four books.follow on X @BrianFMurphy