The Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, Silvio José Báez, questioned this Sunday, May 8, “the voices that rise haughty to impose themselves and crush freedoms,” while addressing the members of the Catholic Church whom he said not to be afraid.
“The hand of Jesus sustains the Church so that it continues to be a community that works for peace and brings hope to the world, a prophetic community alongside the last, the poor and the victims. The hand of Jesus is the vigorous hand of a shepherd who holds a walking and fighting staff, with which he guides and defends the Church from him. Let’s not be afraid. We are in good hands,” said the Auxiliary Bishop.
Last week, the ruling majority Assembly approved a report that collected the request of alleged official victims in 2018, who demanded more severe penalties and that the religious and directors of human rights organizations who were involved be punished. according to them, as “leaders of the coup adventure”.
Báez, exiled due to the siege of Sandinista fanatics, by order of Pope Francis, addressed the Catholics and said that beyond the threats of those who hate the Church, there is the hand of Jesus that sustains it, which it is stronger than “slander and persecution”.
“The church may seem weak, but it is not. Let’s not be afraid. We are in good hands, ”Báez insisted in his homily, broadcast on social networks from the Santa Agatha parish in Miami, Florida, referring to Jesus.
In his intervention, the Bishop spoke about the figure of the good shepherd that is Jesus and recalled the spiritual relationship with the believers who listen to his voice. Each sheep is “unrepeatable”. “For him we are not an anonymous mass. The overcrowding of people is contrary to love and depersonalization only fosters despotic domination”, assured the priest.
The questioning of tyranny, respect for human rights and the call for society not to be indifferent are axes of the discourse of the Carmelite religious who has consistently questioned the conduct of the Daniel Ortega regime for years.
“Let’s not get lost. In society there are voices that intimidate and oppress, voices that rise haughtily to impose themselves and crush freedoms. Let’s not allow those voices to condition us and fill us with fear. They are voices that come from darkened hearts and tormented consciences. Let’s not listen to those voices, let’s not get used to those voices,” he stated.
At mass, behind his back, one of those who officiated with him was the priest Edwin Román, exiled and one of those who denounced the human rights abuses committed against Nicaraguans, especially with the citizens of Masaya, located east of Managua. and victim of brutal state repression in 2018.
According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the excessive use of force during the repression caused 355 murders. Ortega, however, claims to be the victim of an international campaign and an attempted coup for which there is no evidence. The Sandinista dictator at different times has accused the bishops of being “terrorists” and accomplices in the alleged aggression against his administration.
Báez recalled in his biblical reflection that the voice of Jesus should always be heard, that “he does not force, nor accuse, nor humiliate” and should not pay attention to other voices that “frighten and harm.”
In the same legislative report, approved by Ortega, it is contemplated to increase from 15 to 20 years in prison the sentences against the future political prisoners of Nicaragua tried for “treason against the fatherland”, and promotes the unconstitutional confiscation of their assets through the legal figure of “extinction of domain”, however, the head of the Sandinista caucus, Edwin Castro, said that this should be discussed with an inter-institutional commission and that in due course it would come back to the Assembly.
Murillo stirs up confrontation against the Church
In addition to Ortega, his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, maintains a confrontational speech against the Catholic Church, in which he stirs up hatred against the religious. In his speech on April 5, Murillo said that the world is not silent in the face of inappropriate behavior and that, just as “crimes against humanity” are condemned, so too are trials and convictions for those who practice vices, inappropriate behavior, including, Unfortunately, even minors”.
Without mentioning names, Murillo is active in the smear campaigns directed at priests and bishops who have questioned them.
Báez recalled that the “hand of Jesus… fights against the wolves that rise up fiercely against the Church to intimidate it, bend it and submit it to their evil interests.”
