The Nicaraguan government has confirmed the release of the Bishop of Matagalpa, detained since 2022, together with the Bishop of Siuna, two seminarians and 15 other priests.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who has been detained for over a year, Bishop Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega, two seminarians, 15 priests have been released. A total of 19 representatives of the Catholic Church have been freed by the Nicaraguan government. The news, announced by local media, has been confirmed by government officials in Managua. All arrived in Rome on Sunday afternoon with the exception of one who remained in Venezuela and are now guests of the Holy See.
Bishops Álvarez of Matagalpa and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Estelí, sentenced to 26 years in prison, had been in prison since February last year after being under house arrest since August 2022. Bishop Mora had been arrested last December.
At the Angelus at the beginning of the year, Pope Francis spoke of the situation of bishops and priests “deprived of their freedom” in the Central American country, assuring all of his “closeness in prayer” and inviting God’s people to pray for Nicaragua, when he also expressed hopes “that the path of dialogue will always be sought to overcome difficulties”.
Already last October, 12 Nicaraguan priests were released from prison. The Holy See then accepted the request to receive them, welcoming them to Rome and providing housing.