The speech of Pope Francis comes after the recent actions from the government of Nicaragua against catholic figures.
Pope Francis has voiced growing apprehension regarding the Nicaraguan government’s recent actions targeting the Catholic Church.
President Daniel Ortega’s administration has recently detained twelve priests and a bishop, sparking unease in Central America and prompting criticizing from the UN.
The government’s tightening grip on the Church traces back to nationwide protests in 2018, with Ortega implicating priests in alleged coup attempts. Francis, in his regular address at St. Peter’s Square, expressed concern for the detained clergy, extending prayers to them, their families, and the wider Nicaraguan Church. He urged dialogue to navigate the mounting challenges.
Ortega’s regime has accused clergy of organizing opposition and resisted demands by bishops for justice for those who lost their lives in the 2018 protests, along with calls for early elections.
Tensions escalated in 2023 when a Jesuit-run university in Managua was closed, leading to accusations by the head of the religious order against Ortega for stifling both the Catholic Church and civic institutions.
The rift deepened with the conviction of Bishop Rolando Alvarez, a vocal critic of Ortega, on charges of treason, leading to his citizenship being revoked and a 26-year prison sentence without a trial.
Diplomatic relations strained further as the Vatican closed its embassy in Nicaragua last March and the effective expulsion of the Vatican nuncio, the ambassador, in 2022.
Internally, Vatican officials view the situation in Nicaragua as one of the most severe conflicts since the Cold War, drawing parallels with the Church’s persecution in communist Eastern European countries during that era.
Ortega’s government, facing increased international isolation, has cracked down heavily on dissent since the 2018 street protests. The ongoing tension between the government and the Catholic Church raises concerns about civil liberties and religious freedoms in Nicaragua, prompting global attention.
