© Alfredo Zuniga AP
Thousands of people gather outside Managua's Cathedral during Saturday's massive march called by the Catholic Church as a day of prayer, in Managua, Nicaragua
Thousands of people gather outside Managua's Cathedral during Saturday's massive march called by the Catholic Church as a day of prayer, in Managua, Nicaragua
"We must say no to death, no to destruction, no to violence, no to barbarity!" Ortega said, leading his supporters in raising their hands as if swearing an oath. "Yes to life, yes to dialogue, yes to work , yes to peace!" The crowd roared in mighty approval.
Ortega's supporters mounted the rally in response to a chain of Saturday demonstrations across the country demanding his resignation - the biggest of them, with a crowd as big as 150,000 by some estimates, just a couple of miles down the street from where the Sandinistas gathered.
Ortega needed "a sea of people" to show "the love and care that we have for our undisputed leader," the Sandinista communique announcing the rally said, and he certainly got it. While Ortega's demonstration was not nearly as big as that of the opposition - and certainly included some ringers, government employees ordered to attend - it was nonetheless an impressive achievement.
Comment: In a recent interview, Anderson opened up more about her relationship with Assange: