Nicaragua ex-leader loses immunity

There is widespread support for trying Aleman

The Nicaraguan Congress has voted to strip the former President, Arnoldo Aleman, of immunity from prosecution.

The motion was passed after members of Mr Aleman's governing party joined the opposition in a 47-45 vote.

The former leader is being investigated for embezzlement of about $100m in public funds.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Aleman faces allegations of money-laundering and corruption

Mr Aleman served as president from 1997 until January of this year when his deputy, Enrique Bolanos, took over pledging to clean up the country's corrupt government.

The BBC's Nick Miles says the case has galvanised public opinion from all sectors of Nicaraguan society - from the left-wing former Sandinista President Daniel Ortega to Nicaragua's business community.

He says putting the former president on trial will be popular amongst ordinary Nicaraguans - a recent poll suggested that up to 90% of them supported the move.

Charges

In September, the former president was removed as head of Congress - after half a million people had signed a petition urging lifting his immunity from prosecution.

Nine members of Mr Aleman's governing Constitutionalist Liberal Party supported the motion. The party holds the majority of the 92 seats in Congress.

Nicaragua's attorney-general has accused Mr Aleman and 13 associates of siphoning off almost $100m of public funds before he left office earlier this year.

That is equal to the government budget for a whole year.

The government claims that Mr Aleman laundered the funds through front companies and bank accounts in Panama and the Caribbean.