Nicaraguan businessmen arrested in alleged plot

Leading businessmen have been arrested for plotting to overthrow Nicaragua's left-wing government. The vice-president of the country's Chamber of Industry, Leonardo Somarriba, appeared at a press conference to confess his role in the plot. He said fellow conspirators included Jorge Salazar, vice-president of another influential group, the Private Sector Council, who was killed last week in a clash with police.

Nicaragua is ruled by the Sandinistas, who drove the late Anastasio Somoza Debayle from power last year. Until this month, businessmen were represented on the Council of State, a legislative and consultative forum, by 10 delegates of the Private Sector Council. The 10 resigned last week, touching off a political crisis.