The Nicaraguan Cardinal, Leopoldo Brenes, saw Bishop Rolando Álvarez “impaired” this Friday, arrested this morning by police officers who forcibly entered the episcopal curia of the Diocese of Matagalpa (north), where he had been confined for 15 days, in the midst of a state escalation against the Catholic Church.
“Although his physical condition is deteriorating, his spirit and spirit are strong,” said the Archdiocese of Managua, led by Cardinal Brenes, in a public statement.
The Archdiocese of Managua explained that Brenes “had the opportunity to visit and talk with Monsignor Álvarez at his family residence,” where he is under “home guard” by the National Police, in which he made clear “his fraternal esteem on behalf of our church Nicaraguan”.
According to the Archdiocese, Álvarez expressed to the Nicaraguan cardinal “his confidence in everyone’s prayer in the face of this difficult situation that we live in ecclesial communion.”
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“Aware that prayer is the strength of the Christian, we invite you to continue imploring Christ to intercede and watch over his little flock,” he advocated.
“We hope that reason, as well as respectful understanding, open the way to the solution of this critical and complex situation for everyone,” he added.
ARCHDIOCESE OF MANAGUA: SAD EVENT
The Archdiocese of Managua also reiterated “its solidarity and closeness with the sister Diocese of Matagalpa, in the face of the sad event experienced this morning,” particularly with Bishop Álvarez, the priests and laity who accompanied him.
Álvarez, bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Estelí, both in northern Nicaragua, was arrested this morning inside the provincial Episcopal Palace, along with five priests, two seminarians, and a cameraman, after 15 days confined .
The Nicaraguan Police confirmed that “early today, an operation was carried out at the facilities of the House-Curia of the city of Matagalpa, which allowed normality to be restored for the citizens and families of Matagalpa.”
“For several days, a positive communication from the Bishopric of Matagalpa was awaited with great patience, prudence, and a sense of responsibility, which never materialized and, as the destabilizing and provocative activities persisted, made the aforementioned public order operation necessary,” Indian.
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The Police said that “the people who remained in that Casa-Curia were transferred, with respect and observance of their rights, to the city of Managua for the investigations of the Law.”
“The Lord Bishop (Álvarez) remains in house protection in this capital city and has been able to meet with his relatives this morning,” he said.
Likewise, the Police reported that Cardinal Brenes visited Álvarez “and both have talked extensively.”
Meanwhile, the other detainees “were transferred to Managua and continue to carry out the respective proceedings in the Directorate of Judicial Assistance”, where the prison known as “Chipote” operates, he added.
GOVERNMENT PENDING “CALM”
For her part, the vice president and first lady of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, said through official media that she was “aware of that tranquility that we have to protect each one of us, the Nicaraguans who want to live in peace, calm.”
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Álvarez’s capture, preceded by the arrest of three priests, is the latest chapter in a 43-year history of disagreements between the Nicaraguan Catholic Church and the Sandinistas led by President Daniel Ortega.
The same leader has described as “terrorists” the Nicaraguan bishops who acted as mediators of a national dialogue that sought a peaceful solution to the crisis that Nicaragua has been experiencing since April 2018.
The situation in Nicaragua has worsened after the controversial elections last November in which Ortega was re-elected for a fifth term, fourth in a row and second along with Murillo as vice president, with his main contenders in prison.
