US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield pledged Wednesday to bring the issue of the imprisonment of Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez to the UN.
Thomas-Greenfield, during her testimony at a US Congressional hearing, was asked by reporters about the situation of Álvarez, 56, who is being held in a maximum security cell in Managua after have been sentenced by justice Nicaraguan to 26 years in prison.
“I know that the embassy is absolutely involved with this and I know that the bureau for the western hemisphere is involved, but, in New York, I can assure you that I will also be involved,” the diplomat said of Bishop Álvarez.
The bishop Rolando Alvarez He is a prominent Nicaraguan religious and critic of the Daniel Ortega government, whose administration is accused of violating human rights.
After the release of more than 222 political prisoners in Nicaragua, the bishop was offered to leave the country, according to a version provided by Ortega, however the religious refused to make that decision without first consulting the Episcopal Conference.
“The one who did not want to get on the plane was the character Álvarez,” said Ortega. “He was lining up and when he got to the stairs [del avión] He begins to say that he is not leaving, that he would first have to talk to the bishops. An absurd thing, the decision was made by the State, he could not question it.”
One day later, the Nicaraguan justice brought forward a trial against him and he was sentenced to 26 years in prison for various crimes, including conspiracy, propagation of false news and aggravated obstruction of functions; in the same way, he was disqualified for life from holding public office.
The Vatican, as well as various governments around the world, have demanded the release of Álvarez, and have asked Ortega to respect religious freedom in the Central American country.
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