Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez refused to accept exile and, after the negotiation failed, he would have been returned to his cell in a maximum security gallery in the La Modelo penitentiary, in Tipitapa, Managua, according to some religious sources. “He wants to be free in his country,” said church sources who confirmed from early hours that the religious man was released from prison and handed over to members of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference, but later said that he was returned to prison as punishment for refusing, for second time, into exile.
«It’s your right»said for his part the Honduran bishop José Antonio Canales on his social networks. «Monsignor Rolando Álvarez does not want to leave Nicaragua. He wants to be free, without conditions, in his country»wrote the also bishop.
Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, was stripped of his citizenship by judges of the Daniel Ortega regime and sentenced «in secret trial» to more than 26 years in prison for the alleged crime of «treason».
Related news: Theologians, religious and journalists demand that Ortega release Bishop Álvarez
It is known that this Tuesday night, his release was achieved as part of political negotiations between the dictatorship, the Vatican and the Nicaraguan clergy. Sources have reported that Monsignor Álvarez had to leave the country, but he is resisting forced exile. In the morning hours of this Wednesday, Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes denied that information and limited himself to saying that Álvarez “is in Tipitapa”, while calling on the media not to publish unconfirmed information, but he did not provide news about that alleged negotiation between the Government and the Holy See.
Fate of the bishop in we will see
At the beginning of this year, in February, the Ortega dictatorship expelled 222 political prisoners from the country, who were transferred to Washington on a plane chartered by the US administration. Ortega gave in to international pressure and it was impossible for him to hold the prisoners in his political jails, but the priest refused to board the plane, arguing that he wants to be free in his country.
The Daniel Ortega regime reportedly freed Bishop Álvarez and other convicted religious.
At the time of his arrest, Álvarez held the position of bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Estelí.
Last week the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Inter-American Court, issued a resolution ordering Nicaragua to release the religious and to adopt the necessary measures to effectively protect his life, health and personal integrity.
Only by order of the Pope
Daniel Ortega, on several occasions, has described as «mafia» to the Catholic church and has gone head-on against the clergy and priests. María Asunción Moreno, an expert in international legal issues and a Nicaraguan exile, declared days ago, within the framework of the 53rd OAS General Assembly, that the only one who can order Monsignor Rolando Álvarez to leave the country is Pope Francis. «Thus, Monsignor Álvarez would be forced to comply with it due to his discipline of the ecclesial authorities.»he explained.
But according to what Confidencial has published, diplomatic sources that yesterday would have confirmed that the priest was taken from La Modelo, hours later they also confirmed that he had been returned to his cell, because since the Vatican has not ordered Álvarez to leave Nicaragua , the bishop remains in his demand and the Sandinista regime does not give in to release him without conditions.
In recent days, another who addressed the issue of the negotiation for the release of Álvarez was the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, after concluding his visit to Rome and meeting with Pope Francis a few weeks ago. He stated that he would try to convince Ortega to release Bishop Álvarez. Lula considered the imprisonment of the priest as a mistake by Ortega.
With information from United Voices.
