The Police have summoned opponents and parishioners from Matagalpa who have shown closeness and support for Monsignor Roland Alvarez, Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa, de facto prisoner in the Episcopal Curia; by orders of the Daniel Ortega regime.
A source on condition of anonymity told Article 66 that the Police began to summon citizens from Matagalpa after declaring that the religious could not leave the Curia. “The Police already have a written statement against Monsignor Álvarez,” revealed the informant.
Related news: Police deceived two laymen who accompanied Monsignor Álvarez to imprison them in “El Chipote”
He pointed out that they —the Ortega Police— tell those who quote: “Look, we want you to sign this because we are investigating Álvarez (bishop of Matagalpa), and you are a witness.” In addition, he referred that those cited have not signed the alleged accusation, but have been called continuously.
Some of the people who have been summoned to the police station are Dr. Maga Alonso, the opposition Xiomara Tinoco and the released political prisoner David Lagos.
The source indicated that the agents of the dictatorship ask the citizens “if Monsignor (Rolando Álvarez) told them to shout “friend bishop, the people are with you” and if Monsignor had called them to go to the Curia to support him ».
“They also ask them if Monsignor Álvarez encourages them to publish on their social networks and if he was the one who organized the people in 2018,” added the source close to the Catholic Church.
Related news: Bishops of Brazil condemn confinement dictated to Monsignor Álvarez by the Nicaraguan dictatorship
Regarding the summons to the wife of cameraman Flavio Castro, the informant stated that the police warned him that the life of the layman “was in danger being close to the bishop”, however, they never revealed to him that he had already been arbitrarily detained.
False witnesses against Monsignor Álvarez
On the other hand, Article 66 He learned that the Police “are urgently” looking for witnesses and “evidence” against Monsignor Álvarez, and that they already have state workers who will serve to accuse the prelate.
One of the alleged witnesses against the bishop of Matagalpa —according to sources— is a former councilor and current director of the José Benito Vargas Foundation for Community Development (Fundec). Maritza Rodriguez.
«She was the one who arrived 15 days ago outside the Curia with a rosary and a camándula and began to yell at and take everyone who was supporting Monsignor Álvarez, after the photos that Maritza Rodríguez took, the Police began to summon several people,” he said.
Another of the witnesses that the Ortega dictatorship would be using against Álvarez is Peter Haslam, FSLN political secretary in the department of Matagalpa.
Related news: Salvadoran priest: “Pope’s pronouncement could cause rupture of relations between Ortega and the Church”
This media outlet tried to communicate with some of the opponents who have been summoned by Daniel Ortega’s Police, but it was not possible to establish communication.
False accusation against monsignor is a crime
Given the possible accusations against the priest, the human rights defender Yonarqui Martínez said that “whoever dares to play the game of falsely accusing Monsignor Álvarez knows commits a serious crime and condemns an entire country.”
He explained that the Public Ministry and the Police are acting in an anomalous manner. He stated that “each official will be judged in due time.”
This Thursday, August 18, Monsignor Rolando Álvarez is serving 15 days as a de facto prisoner within the Episcopal Curia, along with eight other people, including laity and priests.
The dictatorship has imprisoned the cameraman of the Diocese of Matagalpa Flavio Castro and the pianist Henry Corverawho on August 16 left the Episcopal Curia of Matagalpa, under alleged deception by the sanctioned director of the Police, Ramón Avellán.
