Catholic persecution continues in Nicaragua

 

A man sells images of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Managua  (ANSA)

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• NICARAGUA
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Nicaragua: Two more priests arrested

Police in Nicaragua have reportedly arrested two more Catholic priests, a total of six over the past week, following a public prayer for detained Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa.

By Vatican News

Monsignor Carlos Avilés, the vicar general of the Diocese of Managua, and Father Héctor Treminio, the diocesan treasurer, were recently detained by Nicaraguan police.

Local sources suggest the arrests came after they had prayed for Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, the Bishop of Matagalpa and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Estelí.

The Bishop was sentenced to 26 years in prison without a proper trial on charges of conspiracy, spreading false news, obstructing justice, and insulting authorities.

Bishop Álvarez has been in jail since February 2023 after being under house arrest since August 2022.

With the arrest of Monsignor Avilés and Father Treminio, the total number of priests arrested in Nicaragua in the last week has risen to six.

On December 20, Bishop Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega, of the Diocese of Siuna, was arrested.

According to local media, he too was detained for publicly praying for Bishop Álvarez during a homily.

Along with Bishop Mora, two seminarians—Alester Sáenz and Tony Palacio—were also arrested.