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Days after Christmas, the government of Nicaragua continued its persecution of Catholics by arresting six more priests.
The ongoing crackdown by the Central American government led to the arrest of six clergy members serving in the Archdiocese of Managua, according to Nicaraguan lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina and other sources. The incident reportedly took place between Friday, December 29, and Saturday, December 30.
The priests arrested include Fr. Miguel Mántica from the Church of San Francisco de Asís, Fr. Silvio Fonseca, the archdiocesan vicar of the Family, Life and Childhood Commission, Fr. Mykell Monterrey of Our Lady of Candelaria, Fr. Ismael Serrano of St. Michael the Archangel, Fr. Gerardo Rodrígues of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and Fr. Raúl Zamora of the Church of Divine Mercy. Serrano and Rodrígues are reportedly sick and require medical attention, causing greater concern for their well-being.
Their arrest came just after two more priests were detained by the government for their public prayers for the imprisoned Bishop Rolando Álvarez. One of these clergy members was later released. Bishop Álvarez became a prime example of persecution of Christians by the communist Nicaraguan government following his arrest in July 2023. Dictator Daniel Ortega had begun negotiations to release the bishop but sentenced him back to prison when the religious leader refused to comply with threats of exile. He had been under house arrest for his public criticism of Ortega since August 2022.
In February 2023, Bishop Álvarez was sentenced to 26 years in jail on charges of being “a traitor to the country.” The negotiations to release him came after this sentence and were abandoned later when the bishop stood by his decision not to voluntarily leave Nicaragua. Around the same time as Bishop Álvarez’s lengthy sentence, more than 200 political prisoners, including Catholic priests who were detained over their roles in criticizing the communist government, were deported to the United States.
In recent months, Ortega’s regime has ramped up its persecution of Christians in Nicaragua, in a blatant attack against the Catholic Church in the nation, which is a leading voice of opposition to the government’s infringement upon civil and religious liberty. Six priests were arrested during the first week of October 2023.
Later that month, 12 imprisoned clergy were released by the anti-Catholic government and found refuge at the Vatican in Rome. Bishop Álvarez remained in prison. Last month, Felix Maradiaga, a former presidential candidate and opponent of Ortega who has been exiled to the United States, voiced his concerns that the Nicaraguan government was intentionally concealing the prison conditions of the Bishop Álvarez.
His remarks came after Ortega’s regime released photos and videos of the jailed bishop, prompted by American and European demands to show proof of life. He is being held in a prison notoriously known for torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners.
In the United States, exiled Nicaraguan Catholics recently testified to the extent to which the persecution has already reached, including harsh interrogations and torture.
