Human rights organizations in Nicaragua classified this week as “forced disappearance” the condition in which Bishop Rolando Álvarez finds himself, a critic of the government of President Daniel Ortega, who was convicted by the courts of that country for the crimes of “treason against Homeland”; undermining national integrity and “propagation of false news.”
The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh) stressed in a video posted on social networks that Álvarez this week turned more than 40 days since he was last heard from by the words of President Daniel Ortega himself, who pointed out that Monsignor was confined in a cell in Managua after refusing to be sent to the United States, as happened with another 222 political prisoners hosted by the US.
“His physical and psychological health situation is completely unknown, it is a forced disappearance,” Cenidh indicated.
The opposition organization Unidad Nacional Azul y Blanco, born after the 2018 crisis in Nicaragua, also demanded the whereabouts of Bishop Álvarez. “We demand proof of life from Monsignor Álvarez! In Nicaragua, the monsignor has been unjustly kidnapped for raising his voice in the face of so much evil and to date his whereabouts are unknown ”, Indian organization on Twitter.
Blinken: US Embassy in Managua follows the case of bishop
The case of the bishop has been mentioned by the international community that demands that Ortega release the religious.
In fact, this Thursday, the Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, told the media that the Washington embassy in Managua is following the bishop’s case, although he acknowledged that the influence of the United States with the Nicaraguan government “is somewhat limited.”
He stressed that the United States has been clear in its conviction that Álvarez, for whom he said he feels “deep admiration,” must be released from prison, after being sentenced to 26 years in prison, after he refused to be expelled from prison. country to as happened with the other 222 political prisoners sent to Washington.
On the other hand, he said he was very familiar with the case of recently released Nicaraguans, and celebrated their release.
“I am so glad they got out of jail where they never should have been in the first place. It is of course very unfortunate that they have been expelled from their own country and cannot continue to live and work freely there,” Blinken added during a congressional hearing.
Nicaragua has been experiencing a social and political crisis since 2018, when protests against President Daniel Ortega arose, which were repressed leaving more than 300 dead.
Ortega called the demonstrations “an attempted coup” against him and has attacked social and religious sectors, including the Catholic Church and Pope Francis himself.
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