Thousands throng rival Nicaraguan rallies, Or...

Thousands of pro- and anti-government protesters took to the streets of Nicaragua's capital Saturday, protesting and backing President Daniel Ortega's bid to remain in power.

Chanting "Democracy yes, dictatorship no!" Ortega opponents numbered at 50,000 by organizers marched peacefully in Managua against his controversial re-election plans, even as thousands of the president's supporters gathered for their own demonstration.

Security was heavy in the capital following provocative gestures earlier in the week by both sides which suggested there could be clashes between the two demonstrating groups when they march in the city.

Several groups led the opposition event, and many waved blue and white Nicaragua national flags as supporters of opposition political parties, thousands of whom flooded into the city from the countryside to protest, as did business groups and representatives of the powerful Catholic church.

"We do not want violence," read one banner held up during the six-kilometer (four-mile) march which was attended by former president Arnoldo Aleman and former world boxing champion Alexis Arguello.

The two marches originally had been called for the same time on nearly the same route, but the risk of violence prompted the pro-government rally to be moved to the afternoon.

More than 7,000 police, including heavily armed riot police, were deployed in the capital to ensure order, an AFP journalist learned.

The opposition demonstration concluded without incident in the city's southeast, but Managua remained tense as several thousand Sandinistas gathered to show their support for Ortega.

At least one homemade mortar was fired into the air at the Sandinista march, and several young men were marching with bandanas covering their faces, but there were no initial reports of injuries.

The government expressed hope to bring some 300,000 people out into the streets to outshine the opposition march, and thousands were seen filing into the city to lend support to Ortega and his bid for more victories against the conservatives, which were voted out of power three years ago.

Ortega led the 1979 Sandinista uprising that ousted the regime of US-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza, after 45 years of oppressive rule.

Ortega, the leftist who served as president from 1985-1990, was elected to office again in 2006.

Tension has been building since the ruling Sandinista party's crushing win in mayoral elections a year ago, which the opposition charged were riddled with fraud, and a Supreme Court ruling last month that cleared the way for Ortega to seek reelection in 2011.

Securing the ability to seek reelection has been a key strategy for leftist regional allies Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Rafael Correa in Ecuador, Evo Morales in Bolivia, among others. Elected President Manuel Zelaya in neighbouring Honduras was thought to have been developing such plans when an army-backed coup toppled him in June.