The Renovating Democratic Union (Unamos) demanded that the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo respect the free expression and circulation of Nicaraguan priests after the constant sieges and persecution against Fathers Uriel Vallejos, from Sébaco; Harvesting Padilla, from Masaya; and the Bishop of Matagalpa, Rolando Álvarez.
Bishop Álvarez denounced that the Ortega Police persecuted him throughout the day on Thursday, May 19, for which he began an “indefinite fast” of water and serum; The signs of support and solidarity towards the religious leader have not been lacking.
“Unfortunately, on this occasion I am writing to you (membership) to share with you that today (Thursday, May 19) I have been persecuted throughout the day by the Sandinista Police, from morning until this time of night, at all times, during all my movements of the day,” Álvarez said through a video published by the Diocese of Matagalpa on Facebook.
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The political group, through a statement, called on “citizens to support the priests who are being harassed” by the Police of the Ortega-Murillo regime. “Monsignor Rolando Álvarez has started a fast in protest against such attacks. We call on Nicaraguans to accompany him and protect him from possible actions against him,” said the opposition group.
«The Catholic Church of Nicaragua is and has been an important voice that has accompanied the Nicaraguan people at all times, despite the fact that the regime has tried to silence it on different occasions. Recently, they have gone so far as to want to legalize these attacks in the National Assembly. From now on we hold the regime responsible for possible new repressive actions against the Catholic Church », he adds.
Luis Blandón, spokesman for Unamos, assured that from the political movement they support any position and coherence that the Catholic Church of Nicaragua has had. They indicate that the actions of the regime are a demonstration of the “fear it has of the most critical voices in the country.”
“It has not been enough to imprison political leaders, independents, businessmen, students, peasants, but also that it goes against all those voices that represent a danger to it and those voices are also in the Catholic Church, one of the organizations that has had the force of call things by their name,” he said.
Blandón added that the persecution against the Church and its bishops demonstrates the weakness of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship when it comes to wanting to have absolute control of everything.
