CELAM stands in solidarity with expelled Nicaraguan Bishop Herrera

By Lisa Zengarini

The Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean have joined in expressing their “fraternal” closeness to the Church in Nicaragua following the expulsion this week of the President of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference (CEN).

Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, of Jinotega was forced to leave the country after accusing a local Sandinista mayor of sacrilege for disturbing Mass last Sunday by blaring loud music outside the cathedral.

Dismay and and closeness

In a letter addressed to Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes, Archbishop of Managua and Vice President of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) said they “stand in solidarity” with Bishop Herrera and “pray that this situation will soon be resolved and that he may return to his homeland", expressing shock at the news of his expulsion.

Fourth bishop expelled by the Sandinista regime since 2019

The 75-year-old bishop is the third Nicaraguan prelate this year  to be forced into exile by the ruling Sandinista regime, after Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos of Matagalpa, and Bishop Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega of Siuna.

Bishop Álvarez who was serving a 26-year prison sentence for conspiracy and spreading false information, and Bishop Mora, who was detained in December 2023 expressing support for Bishop Álvarez, were sent to the Vatican last  January following an agreement  reached by the Holy See with Nicaragua for the release of 19 churchmen.

In 2019, another Nicaraguan prelate, the Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, Silvio José Báez, was also forced into exile after receiving death threats.

Bishop Herrera’s expulsion took place while priests across Nicaragua reported this week being barred from entering hospitals to perform the sacrament of anointing the sick.

Ongoing crackdown against the Church in Nicaragua

These events are the latest in the long-running crackdown carried out by President Daniel Ortega’s regime against the Catholic Church and other organizations aimed at stamping out any form of dissent with arbitrary arrests  and the revocation of legal status to several NGO’s.

Tensions between the Catholic Church and the Sandinista regime began in April 2018, when Nicaragua was rocked by vast protests against a controversial government reform, with Ortega accusing the bishops of plotting to overthrow him.  

Since then, the Church has been the target of increasing harassment and intimidations, attacks and desecrations, and in more recent years of arbitrary arrests and expulsions of several members of clergy and religious along with the confiscation of assets.

The expulsion of clergy has left four dioceses without bishops and short of priests. The Diocese of Matagalpa, which had 70 priests prior to the arrest of Bishop Álvarez, now only has 22.

Pope's closeness to Church in Nicaragua

Pope Francis has repeatedly expressed his solidarity with the Church in Nicaragua, urging prayers for the country. During the Angelus on 1 January, 2024  he again  spoke about the situation of bishops and priests "deprived of their freedom assuring  everybody of his "closeness in prayer" and expressed his hope "that the path of dialogue will always be sought to overcome difficulties."

UN's concerns

In recent months the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed "deep concern" over the increasing attacks "against freedom of religion and freedom of association" in Nicaragua, asking that the fundamental freedoms of the person be "guaranteed and protected".