Managua, September 14 (RHC)-- With general elections looming in the country, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega widened his lead in voter preference to 61 points over his closest rival, according to a survey released in Managua, the Nicaraguan capital. 

Daniel Ortega, the historic leader of Sandinista National Liberation Front, the FSLN, totaled 65.7 percent of the vote in a poll by M & R Consultores.  The firm conducted the survey between August 26 and September 3 with an error margin of 2.24 percent. 

The right-wing opposition and former contra rebel Maximino Rodriguez scored a distant second with 4.4 percent and coming in third was lawyer Pedro Reyes of the Independent Liberal Party, with 2.2 percent, according to the survey.  A little over 25 percent declined to answer. 

According to analysts, Daniel Ortega's popularity has remained high after nearly a decade in power thanks to prudent management of the economy and social programs established with the support of Nicaraguan allies Venezuela and Cuba. 

Rodriguez was a member of the U.S.-backed "contras" -- short for contrarevolucionarios or counterrevolutionaries -- rebels who were responsible for countless acts of terrorism, including mass killings.  The group received funding and arms from the U.S. government to destabilize the left-wing government following the victory of the Popular Sandinista Revolution in 1979. 

Scheduled for November 6, 2016, voters will also elect 90 legislators to the Central American nation's National Assembly.