Opposition leader Ariel Terán, who has alleged the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) party rigged the Nov. 9 mayoral election he lost for León, suspects the Sandinistas were involved in a break-in of his property in which his pasturelands were set ablaze Friday morning.

“These acts of violence and vandalism will only push me to fight harder for Nicaragua and its democracy,” said Terán, a U.S.-educated entrepreneur who has pledged to put aside his coffee business in a bid to fight election results, in which he lost as the Liberal Constitutional Party's (PLC) candidate to former Sandinista rebel commander Manuel Calderón for León's mayoral seat.

Employees were able to put out the fire at Terán's 40-manzana hacienda before it caused much damage, but the vandals who broke into his property by burning the iron gate with acid were unidentified.

PLC spokesman Leonel Téller called for Nicaraguan authorities to investigate the crime and punish those found guilty.

“Nicaraguans are tired of violence that the FSLN promotes. However, these actions confirm that (the Sandinistas) are defeated, desperate and resort to violence to intimidate those who love democracy, peace and progress.”

Sandinista supporters violently blocked opposition protests in León before and after the elections and the critical radio station Radio Darío, which is managed by Terán's campaign boss, was ransacked by some 40 armed and masked men during an opposition protest after the election.

Read more about Terán's plans to fight the election results and his opponent's plans for León in an upcoming edition of The Nica Times.