Catholic priests sent to Rome after release from Nicaragua prison

Date:

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

A dozen of Catholic priests in Nicaragua, who had been critical of the government of President Daniel Ortega, have been released and sent to Rome as part of a deal struck between the government and the Vatican. However, Bishop Rolando Alvarez, who chose prison over exile for the second time, was not included in the release.

President Ortega, who has a history of conflict with the United States, has had a strained relationship with the Catholic Church, particularly after Pope Francis referred to his government as a dictatorship. The government did not provide details about the charges against the priests or how many were imprisoned or under house arrest. Opposition media has described the priests as “political prisoners” detained for their criticism of the government or support for the 2018 protests against Ortega.

During the protests, which lasted for at least three months and resulted in more than 300 deaths, relations between the government and the Vatican deteriorated. Ortega’s government considered the protests an attempted coup promoted by Washington, while the United States, the European Union, and other countries accused it of political repression. Both the US and the EU have imposed sanctions on the Nicaraguan government.

Bishop Alvarez, who had been an outspoken critic of restrictions on religious freedom under the Ortega government, was sentenced to 26 years and four months in prison in February. He refused to go to the United States with other expelled prisoners, which led to the Nicaraguan government revoking his nationality and citizenship, designating him a “traitor to the country.”

Ortega, who initially returned to power in 2007 and was seen as more pragmatic, has since moved to jail dissidents and remove all limits on his power, leading to growing international criticism.

- Advertisement -

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

Top Story! Kampala Ministry, KCCA Top Officials Commend Hamz Stadium Readiness For EALASCA Games

The Minister for Kampala, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, together with...

St. Kizito High School Namugongo Tops 2024 UCE Rankings, Celebrates Stellar Performance

St. Kizito High School Namugongo, a Christian-founded institution named...

Hajjat Namyalo Reaffirms Museveni’s Commitment to Empowering Faith-Based Leaders

By ONC Media DeskThe Senior Presidential Advisor on Political...

JADEF Partners with Ministry of Gender to Boost Women’s Leadership in Ngora District

The Jacqueline Amongin Development Foundation (JADEF), in partnership with...