Nicaragua: Another Bishop arrested
By Vatican News
On Wednesday, 20 December, the Nicaraguan police arrested Bishop Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega, bishop of the Diocese of Siuna.
He is the second bishop detained in the country, following Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos of Matagalpa and Apostolic Administrator of Estelí, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison without due process.
Bishop Álvarez has been imprisoned since February 2023, after being under house arrest since August 2022, on charges of conspiracy, spreading false news, obstruction of justice, and contempt for authorities.
According to reports, Bishop Mora was stopped by the police and paramilitaries "as he was heading to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at the parish of La Cruz de Rio Grande."
Along with him, "seminarians Alester Sáenz and Tony Palacio were also arrested.” At present, the whereabouts of the three men are unknown.
Arrested after praying for Bishop Álvarez
The independent press of Nicaragua, citing Church sources, suggests that the arrest of Bishop Mora is linked to the homily he delivered on 20 December at the Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle.
On that occasion, the bishop reported that the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference continues to pray for Bishop Álvarez.
"We remain united in prayer for the beloved diocese of Matagalpa," said Bishop Mora. "We pray for Bishop Rolando and for each one of you."
He then concluded, "We are united in prayer, communion, faith, love, and tenderness."
A country drifting further from the rule of law
In recent days, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, stated that Nicaragua is drifting "further and further" from the rule of law, particularly "from fundamental freedoms, worsening the suffering of the people, fueling the exodus of the youth, and undermining the future of democratic institutions."
She denounced that the authorities in Managua persist in "persecuting those who can contribute with an alternative vision to the public sphere, such as political and indigenous leaders, members of the Catholic Church, activists, and journalists."
In this context, she emphasized, "Restrictions on civic space continue, with repeated cases of arbitrary detention against those exercising their fundamental freedoms."
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