Father Edwing Román, ex-parish priest of the San Miguel Arcángel church in Masaya, lamented the confinement suffered by priests, seminarians and a layman for “being witnesses of the truth”.
Citing the biblical text of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew 10:17-18, the religious expressed, in relation to the kidnapped priests, that “they will be taken to court (…), before governors and kings for my cause.”
Related news: Father Edwing Román calls Karen Chavarría, Monsignor Álvarez’s executioner, a “puppet”
«Lord, persecutions continue because he who is not with me is against you. Bishops, priests and laity we face all this because we have to be witnesses of the Truth”, added the priest through his Twitter account.
Román, exiled in the United States, is one of the religious voices critical of the Nicaraguan regime that has demanded the release of all the kidnapped priests, including Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, accused by the Ortega justice of impairment and false news.
Recently, the priest called the sanctioned judge a “puppet for hire” Karen Vanessa Chavarria, of the Ninth Criminal Trial District Court of Managua, who was in charge of processing the criminal and political process against the Bishop of Matagalpa.
“(…) she covers her face so as not to be identified (…) Only for their misdeeds do they use face masks,” said Román, who added that like other judicial officers of the Nicaraguan regime, “Suddenly we see her —Karen Chavarría— asking for asylum.”
12 priests accused by the Ortega court
With the recent accusation for “undermining national integrity and false news” against Monsignor Rolando Alvarezthere are already 12 religious who the Daniel Ortega regime has deprived of their freedom in this 2022.
The first to be kidnapped, accused and sentenced by the Ortega justice system were father Manuel Salvador Garciaparish priest of the Jesús de Nazareno Church, in Nandaime, Granada, allegedly convicted of assaulting a woman and threatening supporters of the Nicaraguan dictatorship.
The second to be tried was Monsignor Leonardo Urbinaparish priest of the Church of Perpetuo Socorro, in Boaco, sentenced to 30 years in prison for the alleged crime of raping a minor under 14 years of age and minor psychological injuries to the detriment of the 12-year-old victim of the initials MJVS.
Related news: They demand from Ortega a “Christmas without priests political prisoners”
The dictatorship continued its onslaught against religious and on August 14 kidnapped Father Óscar Benavidez, parish priest of the Espíritu Santo Church, in Mulukukú in the Diocese of Suina. He was apprehended after leaving the Concepción de María chapel, where he officiated his homily based on the persecution and harassment of the prophets. He was taken to the cells of the Directorate of Judicial Assistance (DAJ), known as “El Chipote” where he has remained since that date.
The Ortega regime also accused the priests and seminarians who accompanied the Bishop of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Álvarez for 16 days —from August 4 to 19— of conspiring to undermine national integrity and spreading false news.
The defendants are the first and second vicar of the Cathedral of San Pedro, in Matagalpa, Jose Luis Diaz Y Sadiel Eugarrios, respectively; as well as the priests Ramiro Tijerino—Rector of the John Paul II University—and Father Raul Vega Gonzalez. Seminarians face the same charges Darvin Leiva Y Melkin Rye Sequeiralike the cameraman Sergio Cardenas.
Another of the priests to be imprisoned was Father Enrique Martinez Gamboa, parish priest of the Santa Martha Church, of the Archdiocese of Managua. He was kidnapped on the afternoon of October 13, days later he was charged with conspiracy to undermine national integrity and propagation of false news. With this arrest there are already nine priests, two seminarians and a layman in prison.
On the eve of these Christmas and New Year’s Eve dates, the relatives of the more than 230 political prisoners, priests and human rights defenders continue to demand their freedom, however, the dictator Daniel Ortega continues with his wave of repression and shows no sign of want to release them
