A former Contra guerrilla on Monday was chosen to be the presidential candidate for Nicaragua’s Constitutional Liberal Party, or PLC, with an eye toward the November election, in which the main opposition coalition will not participate.

Maximino Rodriguez, a former member of the Contras in the 1980s, was unanimously selected by the PLC party convention, the voting members at which accorded him the “red card,” the sign of the party’s approval.

The PLC’s vice presidential pick was the former health minister during the 1997-2002 Arnoldo Aleman administration, Martha McCoy.

Rodriguez and McCoy were confirmed at the commemoration of the 123rd anniversary of the “Liberal Revolution” of 1893 which brought Jose Santos Zelaya to the presidency and changed the history of the Central American country.

“I believe that we Nicaraguans should reflect deeply for the good of the country,” said the former PLC lawmaker during his presentation as the party’s presidential pick.

The PLC has 5.6 percent support nationwide according to a recent survey showing Daniel Ortega to be the clear presidential favorite as he seeks his second consecutive re-election.

The PLC is now the main opposition party after the Supreme Court in May disbanded Nicaragua’s main opposition party by barring the leader of the Independent Liberal Party, or PLI, Eduardo Montealegre, from legally representing it.

After a series of court decisions, the National Coalition for Democracy, which the PLI headed, decided not to field candidates in the upcoming elections, which it considers to be a “farce” manipulated by the Ortega government.

The PLI also asked other dissident parties, like the PLC, not to participate in the election to avoid “legitimizing” another re-election of Ortega.

On Nov. 6, Nicaraguans will go to the polls to elect a president, vice president, 90 national lawmakers and 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament. EFE

Managua, Jul 11 (EFE)