The Bishop of the Diocese of Danlí, in Honduras, Monsignor José Antonio Canales, held a mass and vigil this Sunday in solidarity with the Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, who is under “house arrest” imposed by the regime of Daniel Ortega for more than three months.
“Not even the rain stopped the Danlidians to show their fraternal closeness to Monsignor Rolando Álvarez and all the prisoners of conscience in Nicaragua,” said Monsignor Canalés, who has been a critical voice of the regime for the persecution imposed on the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. The religious also published images on his social networks of the mini vigil called “prayer and lights for the freedom of Monsignor Rolando Álvarez and all the prisoners of conscience in Nicaragua.”
Related news: Monsignor Rolando Álvarez suffered a “fall”, denounces Cenidh
Before the day of prayer, Bishop Canales presided over the Sunday Eucharist and holy hour at the feet of Jesus in the Sacrament “for the life and ministry of Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, on his birthday.”
This Sunday, November 27, Monsignor Álvarez turned 56, however he could not celebrate with his parishioners who sent messages of solidarity and denounced the situation that the religious is going through. Since August 19, he became the first hierarch to be a prisoner of the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The prelate, who was part of the mediators of the Catholic Church in the first attempt at dialogue during the social outbreak of 2018, was born on November 27, 1966, under the Somoza dictatorship (1937-1979).
He was deprived of his liberty after police forces, led by the sanctioned General Commissioner Francisco Díaz and in-law of the Nicaraguan dictator, took him out of the Matagalpa Episcopal Curia. They attributed to him the alleged organization of “violent groups” in Matagalpa.
The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh) recently denounced that the religious is presenting health problems and that the dictatorship does not allow a private doctor to treat his ailments, according to information obtained by the exiled priest Uriel Vallejos.
“We demand that the Ortega Murillo regime immediately release Monsignor Rolando Álvarez and other unjustly imprisoned priests. We ask the high hierarchy of the Catholic Church to share the information they have with the parishioners. Why are you silent?” Cenidh demanded.
