The complaints of siege and threats in the Diocese of Jinotega have increased. Parishioners and priests have been warned that the prohibitions on religious activities go beyond the holy days that have just ended.
During Semana Mayor, several priests were directly threatened by police chiefs of this department and recently, they were made aware that the restrictions were in place, especially these days when people remember the April rebellion five years ago.
According to a complaint from a parishioner, who asks to speak anonymously for this report, in the mountain parishes a priest announced a procession, which he believed could be celebrated because it was far from the big cities. He was surprised when he found himself surrounded by police patrols, just as people began to gather. The activity remained inside the temple and outside the patrols set up surveillance.
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The paranoia of the agents of the regime reached such a degree that, in a community without vehicular access, where barely fifty people attend liturgical activities, the delegates of the Word went on a walk. As soon as they finished, a uniformed man arrived and threatened to take them to jail if they did activities outside the Hermitage again.
Several Catholic police officers alerted the priests of some towns that there would be arrests if they carried out religious activities during these April days.
“Courtesy visit” to the Diocese
Researcher Martha Patricia Molina, who has registered attacks against the Nicaraguan Catholic Church by the Ortega and Murillo regime, denounced that the Ortega police kept the San Juan Cathedral, in the city of Jinotega, under siege.
The complaint was confirmed by a parishioner who stated that Sandinista police chiefs had come to speak with Monsignor Carlos Enrique Herrera, who is president of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference (CEN).
These intimidating visits would have already been carried out during the month of March when the Orteguismo prohibited the field mass of Father Odorico D’Andrea in San Rafael del Norte.
«What did they talk about on that visit? No details are known, but we are afraid that these are threats so that the hierarchy remains silent and does not denounce the human rights violations against the population,” said a layman.
Ortega mayor eliminates Catholic symbols
A particular case as part of the repression occurred in Santa María de Pantasma, where historically there has been a flag of the Catholic Church both at the entrance to the town and on the flag poles of the municipality.
As part of the repressive escalation of the dictatorship, the imposed mayoress, Carmen Medina, ordered the removal of said flags and, in their place, she placed the red and black ones of the Sandinista party, despite the claim of her own supporters who commune with the Catholic faith. “It is a disrespect to an ancient tradition,” said an outraged citizen.
The Diocese of Jinotega still has some parish radio stations to promote evangelization, but they are strictly prohibited from praying for Monsignor Rolando Álvarez or mentioning anything about the persecution, according to a parishioner who has a space on one of the stations.
“We have to pretend that everything is normal and that nothing is happening, we pray for Monsignor Álvarez in silence so that they do not close this small outlet,” confirmed another parishioner on condition of anonymity.
By United Voices
