Ex-Nicaraguan Leader Admits Spending us$1.8M
Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman has admitted he spent us$1.8 million dollars in government money on jewelry and meals.

The spending mostly took place when Mr Aleman was abroad seeking aid following Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

It included a honeymoon trip, us$37.630 worth of crafts bought in India, and us$9.360 in jewelry. Mr Aleman suggested they were justifiable travel expenses because his trips coincided with an inflow of aid after the hurricane.

"Investments of $1.9 billion were brought to the country," Mr Aleman said.

In 2003, he was convicted of money laundering and embezzlement during his 1998-2002 presidency and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was later granted parole.

Prosecutors have said Aleman stole about us$100 million in government money. He denies stealing any public funds and says his personal wealth totals $886,425, mostly from properties.

Hurricane Mitch killed 5,657 people and caused us$6.5 billion in damage in Nicaragua. The disaster brought an outpouring of international aid, but Nicaragua remains one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere.