Nicaragua on Wednesday sent 12 Catholic priests to Rome who had been “persecuted” by judicial authorities, the government said, the latest move, a researcher said, in a government crackdown on the church.
President Daniel Ortega has at times accused Catholic Church leaders of trying to overthrow his government, while judicial authorities have arrested priests and accused some of committing treason, among other crimes.
In a two-page statement, the government said the 12 were sent to Rome after authorities had “fruitful conversations” with Catholic leadership, including local church leaders and unnamed Vatican officials.
The government did not explicitly explain why the 12 would be sent to Italy, but said the decision would help “ensure and defend peace.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nicaragua did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An exiled Nicaraguan researcher publishing documents on what she describes as persecution of the Catholic Church during Ortega’s government said sending the priests to Rome was a “forced removal.”
Researcher Martha Patricia Molina accused Ortega of attempting to “strangle and disappear” the church with this act.
All 12 priests sent to Italy were previously held captive, he said, adding that the expulsion announcement should not be interpreted as a easing of relations between the government and the Vatican.
“The removal does not mean an end to hostilities, attacks will continue and perhaps even more arrests,” he said.
Bishop Rolando Alvarez, perhaps Ortega’s most prominent Catholic critic, was sentenced this year to 26 years in prison on treason charges, but he was not among the 12 priests the government sent to Rome.
Source: Terra
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