Monsignor Rolando Alvarez, Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, accumulates 73 days in captivity in the Jorge Navarro Penitentiary System, known as “La Modelo”, in Tipitapa.
The prelate has been held in the men’s prison since February 9 of this year, after the dictator Daniel Ortega ordered a change in his prison regime after refusing to be exiled to the United States, along with 222 other former political prisoners.
Related news: Maradiaga affirms that the regime imprisoned Monsignor Álvarez for criticizing “false Christians”
The also apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Estelí accumulates a total of 246 days since he was deprived of his freedom, on August 4, 2022, when the Police prevented him from leaving the Episcopal Curia of Matagalpa, and then – at dawn on August 19 same month— remove him with violence.
After these more than eight months of kidnapping, the Nicaraguan University Alliance (STILL) He pointed out that there are months “without justice for Monsignor Álvarez, unjustly imprisoned.”
“We demand his freedom and an end to religious persecution. #LibertadParaMonseñorAlvarez #SOSNicaragua», added the opposition bloc, this Saturday, April 22, through its Twitter account.
Related news: They award “Charisma 2023 Award” to Monsignor Rolando Álvarez
The Ortega justice found Monsignor Rolando Álvarez guilty for the alleged crimes of “treason” and sentenced him to 26 years in prison, stripped him of his nationality and stripped him of his civil and political rights for life.
Monsignor Álvarez is one of the most critical voices against the Ortega and Murillo dictatorship, who since 2018 has been merciless against the Catholic Church, directly attacking priests.
The last visit that the cardinal received from his relatives, and that the Ortega administration made public, was on Saturday, March 25. The meeting took place in “La Modelo”, after more than a month and a half incommunicado.
Despite the confinement that the cardinal lives, he was awarded the “CHARISMA” award, in the “Mission and Cooperation” category for the commitment of the religious to the fight for the freedom of the people of Nicaragua. The award was given by The Religious Life of the Spanish Catholic Church.
