Q24N (Reuters) Nicaraguan police detained four more priests early Saturday, December 30, 2023, bringing the total number to 12 over the past three days, according to local media and a high-ranking member of the Catholic Church with knowledge of the matter.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who has governed the Central American country since 2007, has started a crackdown on the Catholic Church and political opponents.
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Priests Mikel Monterrey, Gerardo Rodriguez and Raul Zamora, along with Monsignor Miguel Mantica, the son of one of the richest families in Nicaragua, were taken from their respective homes, the source said.
“They’re all from the Archdiocese of Managua,” said the source, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The Nicaraguan government and police did not respond to a request for comment. La Prensa, one of the country’s last remaining newspapers, also reported the four arrests of the priests.
In total, 12 priests and Bishop Isidro Mora have now been arrested in recent days. In August 2022, Bishop Rolando Alvarez was arrested and sentenced to 26 years in prison.
Since the 2018 protests, Ortega has accused priests of organizing themselves and orchestrating a coup; the bishops had asked the president for justice for those who died during the protests, and early elections.
On Monday, January 1, 2024, Pope Francis showed concern when discussing the crackdown of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua.
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Reprisals against Roman Catholic clergy has taken place since 2018 when the Ortega government tried to quell the social protests advocating for a social security system reform. The Catholic Church in Nicaragua became a target since its engagement in the National Dialogue process to facilitate negotiations.
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