The Nicaraguan Exiles Unit (UEN) condemned the recent arbitrary detention against the father Manuel Salvador Garcia, pastor of the Jesús de Nazareno Church, in Nandaime, Granada, known as El Calvario, after the priest was involved in an altercation with Sandinistas from that municipality.
The opponents expressed their “deep concern” at the escalation and systematic repression of the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo against the Catholic Church and its leaders.
Related news: Police detain priest Manuel Salvador García after being involved in an altercation in Nandaime
In the statement dated June 2, the UEN pointed out that since 2018, the bishops and priests have suffered harassment, harassment, sieges, theft “and more recently the arbitrary and violent detention of the priest Manuel García, of the Diocese of Granada ».
They also noted that the persecution against priests in Nicaragua has led several Catholic leaders to make the decision of exile. “UEN denounces these arbitrariness that have reached the extreme of the forced exile of the auxiliary bishop of Managua, Monsignor Silvio Báez, of the cancellation of the visa for foreign priests, of the expulsion of the apostolic nuncio of Pope Francis to Nicaragua.”
Likewise, they denounced the persecution against Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, and threats against the priest Harving Padilla. “All of the above contrary to article 29 of our Political Constitution on religious freedom and the mechanisms of International Law that govern diplomatic relations between States,” they stressed.
Ortega and his repressive nature
On the other hand, they recalled that the actions of the Ortega dictatorship against the Catholic Church are part of “the repressive and violent nature, therefore, they are not far from the actions carried out during the Sandinista Popular Revolution (1979-1990)”.
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“These realities foreign to the believing nature of the people are resentments and hatred against the ecclesiastical hierarchy for their courage, defense and empathy with the people, especially with their presence in Masaya, Diriamba (Carazo), in the Divine Mercy Parish of Managua and in their role as mediators and witnesses in the unsuccessful national dialogue of 2018,” they added.
The opponents from exile affirmed to be grateful for the manifestations “of solidarity and spiritual” of the Episcopal Conferences of Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama and that of the Latin American Episcopate (CELAM) in favor of the Church in particular of our country.
“We make a particular call to the pontifical diplomatic representations in the region so that they can raise their voices before the states and multilateral organizations in which they have a presence so that they denounce, not only in the light of international law, but also moved and prioritized by their condition. of pastors, so that the Nicaraguan reality does not cease to be the focus of attention and our demands continue to have an echo in the community of nations,” they concluded.
For its part, the Facebook page, Nicaraguan people, led by Nicaraguan exiles in Costa Rica, called for prayers for Father Manuel Salvador García. “Let us pray for our priest friends and the church persecuted by the same criminals who could not and will not be able to against it in the 1980s. The church will see the coffin of Sandinismo pass by,” they concluded.
Priest stopped
According to the Ortega media — who began a smear and defamation campaign against the priest — the incident occurred after the father allegedly assaulted a woman who was inside the temple. It was learned that the 57-year-old religious suffers from diabetes and takes medication for chronic neuropathy.
Related news: Ortega regime persecutes the Catholic Church for “defending the humble”
Unofficially, the media outlet 100% Noticias learned that the Nandaime priest was transferred to the cells of the Judicial Assistance Directorate (DAJ), known as “El nuevo Chipote.” To date, the Diocese of Granada has not issued any statement about the priest’s arrest.
Article 66 He tried to communicate with priests close to Father García to learn more about the case, however contact could not be established. So far it is unknown if the religious will be prosecuted by Ortega justice.
