Sandinista founder Tomás Borge in poor health following surgery

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Congressman and Sandinista founder Tomas Borge has been hospitalized for “several days” and is in poor health after undergoing surgery, Nicaraguan officials confirmed Tuesday in a press release.

A spokesman for the presidency said President Daniel Ortega has been receiving medical reports “pretty much every half hour” and is very concerned with Borge’s condition.

Borge, 82, has been interned at the Military Hospital in Managua since Friday, where he was to undergo lung surgery. On Monday, he experienced respiratory complications and was moved to an intensive care unit, officials said.

Borge was one of the leading figures of the Sandinista guerrilla movement, who fought the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza until his overthrow in 1979 by popular insurrection.