Mastodon
RNS logo
Religion Hub

Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez and 18 priests arrive in Rome from prison, guests of Vatican

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Bishop Rolando Álvarez and the other clergy were jailed more than a year ago, in most cases, as part of a crackdown on the opposition and Catholic church by Ortega.
Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez and 18 priests arrive in Rome from prison, guests of Vatican
FILE - Rolando Alvarez, bishop of Matagalpa, gives a press conference regarding the Roman Catholic Church's agreeing to act as "mediator and witness" in a national dialogue between members of civil society and the government in Managua, Nicaragua, May 3, 2018. Nicaragua's government released Alvarez, sentenced to 26 years in prison for conspiracy and other crimes, and sent him on a plane to the Vatican, according to the auxiliary bishop of Managua, Monsignor Silvio Baez, on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Nicaragua’s government released a prominent Catholic bishop and 18 other clergy members imprisoned in a crackdown by President Daniel Ortega and handed them over to Vatican authorities who welcomed them in Rome.

Bishop Rolando Álvarez and the other clergy were jailed more than a year ago, in most cases, as part of a crackdown on the opposition and Catholic church by Ortega. He had accused them of supporting massive 2018 civic protests that he claimed were a plot to overthrow him.

The government said in a press statement the releases on Sunday were part of negotiations with the Vatican aimed at “making possible their trip to the Vatican.” In the past, imprisoned priests have been quickly flown to Rome.


Vatican News, the Vatican’s in-house media operation, said the group arrived in Rome on Sunday afternoon and were welcomed as “guests of the Holy See.”

Ortega’s government said those released also included Bishop Isidoro Mora.

Ortega sent 222 prisoners to the United States in February in a deal brokered by the U.S. government and later stripped those prisoners of their citizenship.

Bishop Álvarez has remained in prison for more than a year after being convicted of conspiracy and receiving a 26-year prison sentence. One of the country’s most outspoken clergy members, had refused to get on the February flight to the United States without being able to consult with other bishops.

In October, Nicaragua released a dozen Catholic priests jailed on a variety of charges and sent them to Rome following an agreement with the Vatican.

Since repressing popular protests in 2018 that called for his resignation, Ortega’s government has systematically silenced opposing voices and zeroed in on the church, including seizing the prestigious Jesuit-run University of Central America in August.

Nicaragua’s Congress, dominated by Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front, has ordered the closure of more than 3,000 nongovernmental organizations, including Mother Teresa’s charity.


Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
No paywalls here. Thanks to you.
As an independent nonprofit, RNS believes everyone should have access to coverage of religion that is fair, thoughtful and inclusive. That's why you will never hit a paywall on our site; you can read all the stories and columns you want, free of charge (and we hope you read a lot of them!)

But, of course, producing this journalism carries a high cost, to support the reporters, editors, columnists, and the behind-the-scenes staff that keep this site up and running. That's why we ask that if you can, you consider becoming one of our donors. Any amount helps, and because we're a nonprofit, all of it goes to support our mission: To produce thoughtful, factual coverage of religion that helps you better understand the world. Thank you for reading and supporting RNS.
Deborah Caldwell, CEO and Publisher
Donate today