The World Organization of Social Democratic, Socialist and Labor Parties, International Socialistcondemned the attacks on the Catholic Church, especially against the siege of Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa.
The group that currently has 132 political parties and organizations from all continents stated that Álvarez “has emerged, among many, as one of the visible faces of an unacceptable and ahistorical persecution.”
Related news: Monsignor Rolando Álvarez has been a “de facto prisoner” for eight days
“The Episcopal Conferences of countries in the region and the Council of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopate (CELAM), have also expressed their concern about these events and their solidarity with the victims,” stressed the Socialist International.
It also points out that the aggression against the Catholic Church and its religious leaders are not “isolated actions,” but that the harassment has been a constant “since the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference played a mediating and critical role in the leadership of the Ortega-Murillo couple. in the massive protests of 2018, that with its violent repression that left a balance of hundreds of dead and injured.
He also recalled that in March of this year, the Ortega dictatorship expelled the apostolic nuncio Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertagwho served as a diplomat for the Holy See, and that in July “it was the turn of the nuns of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and earlier, in 2019, Bishop Silvio Báez had been forced into exile.”
Ortega and his contempt for democracy
Regarding the attacks on civil society organizations and the independent press, the SI said that «Daniel Ortega unabashedly exhibits once again his absolute contempt for democracy.
Related news: Catholics crowd the Cathedral of Managua at the closing of the Marian Congress despite the police siege
“This time the object of their persecution is the Catholic Church; previously it had been the world of culture, the media and the most diverse organizations of civil society, including the centenary Nicaraguan Academy of Language».
«The Socialist International reiterates its condemnation of this new attempt to silence and suppress all voices contrary to the Sandinista regime, for which it seems that it is no longer enough to have an illegitimate absolute control over all the powers of the State (…) The SI has been and will remain involved in the restoration of democracy in Nicaragua and working in favor of respect for the fundamental rights of its people,” the organization stressed.
Since 2018, the Sandinista dictatorship has shown its discontent with the Nicaraguan opposition, the Catholic Church, the independent press, human rights organizations and against anyone who does not support its dictatorial policies.
He currently keeps more than 190 political prisoners behind bars, has forced dozens of journalists into exile and continues a constant siege of Catholic priests whom he calls “demons.”
