While receiving Nguyen Van Son, special envoy of Vietnamese top leaders, in Managua on January 11, President Ortega, who is also General Secretary of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (SNLF), recalled his previous visits to Vietnam. He asked the special envoy to convey his invitation to Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to visit Nicaragua.

Mr Son, who represented the three Vietnamese Party, State and Government leaders attending Mr Ortega's inauguration ceremony, affirmed Vietnam's constant foreign policy of boosting friendship and cooperation with Nicaragua. He also conveyed the Vietnamese leaders' invitations to President Ortega for a visit to Vietnam.

The same day, the Vietnamese official met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who also came to Managua to witness the Nicaraguan leader's taking office. Mr Son said that Vietnam has been actively implementing the agreements reached by the two countries' leaders during a Vietnam visit by President Chavez in late July 2006.

President Chavez affirmed that his country attaches importance to the multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam. He also expressed wish to welcome Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh in Venezuela soon.

While staying in Nicaragua, the special envoy also met with other Nicaraguan and foreign leaders who were present at the inauguration ceremony of President Ortega.