, ▁Daniel ▁Or te ga . ▁When ▁the ▁Sand in istas ▁over th rew ▁Som o za ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁Nic ar agua . ▁Mur illo ▁and ▁Or te ga ▁were ▁married ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁Mur illo ▁started ▁to ▁gain ▁power ▁polit ically ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁after ▁def ending ▁Or te ga ▁after ▁he ▁was ▁accused ▁by ▁his ▁step d augh ter , ▁Mur illo ' s ▁daughter , ▁of ▁sex ually ▁ab using ▁her ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁Mur illo ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁accus ations ▁were ▁" a ▁total ▁false hood ." ▁The ▁case ▁was ▁thrown ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁because ▁the ▁stat ute ▁of ▁limitations ▁had ▁exp ired . ▁ ▁Mur illo ▁helped ▁re - brand ▁Or te ga ▁after ▁three ▁un success ful ▁election ▁b ids ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁as ▁a ▁less ▁extreme ▁candidate . ▁Or te ga ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁general ▁election ▁Mur illo ▁ran ▁as ▁Or te ga ' s ▁vice - pres ident ial ▁candidate . ▁She ▁is ▁" wid ely ▁seen ▁as ▁the ▁power ▁behind ▁the ▁presiden cy " ▁according ▁to ▁Al ▁J aze era ' s ▁Lu cia ▁New