NICARAGUAN President Daniel Ortega said: “The greatest challenge we have is to defend peace,” as he addressed a ceremony on Monday marking the 40th anniversary of the Sandinista Popular Army’s foundation.

Mr Ortega said Nicaragua was “part of the Americas that cries out for peace, which turned a dream into reality,” during a speech to members of the armed forces at Plaza de la Revolucion in the capital Managua.

The Nicaraguan leader said there was great unity among the countries that make up the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, which was founded in 2010 in Mexico.

“We have an axis that marks a new stage in the history of our America and that makes the dreams of Bolivar, Sandino and Morazan a reality … the great challenge that we have right now is to defend peace,” Mr Ortega said, referring to Latin American anti-imperialist heroes Simon Bolivar, Augusto Cesar Sandino and Francisco Morazan.

The Nicaraguan president was speaking as US imperialism stokes regional tensions, most recently imposing a near-total blockade on Venezuela.

Mr Ortega defeated a US-backed right-wing coup attempt last year.

Nicaragua’s armed forces were founded in 1979 to replace the notorious US and British-backed National Guard, which conducted a reign of terror during the Somoza dictatorship.

Its has four branches, the ground forces, air force, navy and civil defence forces, with around 45,000 active personnel.

Mr Ortega praised the 29 individuals who founded the Sandinista Popular Army, an act that led to victory for the Nicaraguan people.

“These are the roots of our people and the roots of our army,” he said, reminding those gathered of the “heroic resistance” led by General Benjamin Zeledon before he was killed in 1912 while fighting US marines at the Battel of Coyotepe Hill.

Despite attempts to destabilise Nicaragua, the latest polls show massive support for the Sandinistas, with 63 per cent of voting intentions.