The Nicaraguan government began the year 2023 by prohibiting different religious activities in the country and accelerating legal proceedings against priests, organizations and lay people denounced the Voice of America.
On January 1, the procession of Jesus in the Sacrament was banned nationwide. Carlos Herrera, president of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference, said it was due to “reasons beyond our control.” That activity was one of the most attended by Catholic parishioners.
“The police came to tell us that the procession was prohibited so as not to disturb public order, but apparently it was something national,” he told the VOA another religious, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals.
Similarly, six more processions have been prohibited so far in January in different parts of the country, including one that was intended to take place in Chinandega, north of the capital, on the 5th of this month.
The parish of that town reported on their social networks that the suspension was “by guidance of the authorities.”
Silence from the authorities
Until now, neither President Daniel Ortega nor the police authorities have referred directly to the bans.
However, trials against priests in the country have continued. Bishop Rolando Álvarez, critical of President Ortega, was sent to trial this January 10, after being accused by the prosecution of conspiracy and spreading false news.
While the priest Oscar Benavidez, parish priest of a church in the North Caribbean of Nicaragua, faces trial this Monday, after being accused of the same crimes that Álvarez was accused of.
Ortega’s critics, including Martha Patricia Molina, a lawyer who has conducted at least two investigations into attacks on the Church in Nicaragua, consider these judicial processes flawed.
Molina told the VOA that “the Sandinista dictatorship has begun the year 2023 in an aggressive manner against the Catholic Church, and if it continues with the same intensity in its hostilities, this year could be worse or the same as 2022”, when more than 140 attacks were registered against the prelates and the institution they represent. In addition, 15 criminal proceedings were opened against priests of the Catholic Church.
The government of President Daniel Ortega has branded the Catholic Church as a “coup plotter” for harboring protesters in temples during anti-government protests in 2018, which left more than 300 deadaccording to human rights organizations.
Ortega, who has been in power for more than 15 consecutive years, has also called priests “false prophets” for asking him to stop human rights violations.
Also expelled the Vatican representative in Managua, the nuncio Waldemar Sommertag. The Holy thirst called the decision regrettable.
At the end of December of last year, the government of The United States included Nicaragua again on his list of countries for which he feels “particular concern” due to their treatment of religious freedom.
Nicaragua and Cuba have appeared on this list in previous years.
Also on the list are Myanmar, the People’s Republic of China, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
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