Nicaragua Exiles Seven Priests as Crackdown on Christians Expands

Much has changed in the relationship between the Catholic Church and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo — Ortega’s wife — since he rose to power in the country.

Initially, Ortega and the Sandinista National Liberation Front, a leftist guerrilla organization, relied on Catholics to mobilize against former president Anastasio Somoza’s violent dictatorship. That movement was born out of then-burgeoning liberation theology, which fused Marxism and Christianity, according to The Public Discourse.

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The Ortega regime has since turned on the Catholic Church, especially after the 2018 protests against his dictatorial presidency. According to Open Doors, persecution against believers has been on the rise since then.

In the latest crackdown, seven Nicaraguan priests detained in recent weeks were exiled to Rome, the Vatican reported. The clergy members were among the religious leaders arrested and detained by the National Police in the Diocese of Matagalpa, led by Bishop Rolando Álvarez, an outspoken critic of the Ortega regime.

Álvarez was exiled earlier this year as he faced a 26-year prison term.

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After their arrests, the detained priests were reportedly held under house arrest at the National Inter-Diocesan Seminary of Our Lady of Fátima before they were exiled.

Those exiled include two senior diocese leaders, Father René Vega Matamoros and Edgard Sacasa, who took over leading the Diocese of Matagalpa after Álvarez was exiled.

Other detainees include Father Marlon Velázquez, Father Jairo Pravia, Vicar Víctor Godoy of the Immaculate Conception of María de Sebáco Church, Franciscan Friar Silvio José Romero, and Father Harvin Tórrez, rector of the Matagalpa seminary.

The detentions and expulsions are a result of the ongoing tension between the Catholic Church and the Nicaraguan government, which is facing international condemnation for its human rights violations.

The Pontifical Mission Societies USA is calling for prayer for the safety, boldness, and spiritual courage of believers in Nicaragua, especially ministerial leaders.

“In these challenging times, it is crucial for us to unite in prayer for the Church in Nicaragua,” the organization stated. “Let us pray for the safety and strength of the priests, deacons, and all members of the clergy who are courageously upholding their faith amidst persecution. Our prayers can offer them solace and support, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggle.”

Several Republican lawmakers have called on President Joe Biden’s administration to impose strong sanctions against Nicaragua over the Ortega regime’s abuses. Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) have been among the legislators demanding action.

The U.S. Department of State identifies Nicaragua as a “country of particular concern” due to its religious freedom violations, noting, too, that the abuse has impacted Evangelical Christians in the country.

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