Nicaragua Releases 12 Catholic Priests Following Agreement with Vatican

In a significant move, Nicaragua has set free 12 Roman Catholic priests who were detained on various charges, and they have been sent to Rome as part of a collaborative accord between the Nicaraguan government and the Vatican, as officially announced by the government on a late Wednesday evening.

The administration led by President Daniel Ortega reported that the priests were flown to Rome on Wednesday afternoon after fruitful discussions with the Vatican. Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, the most prominent ecclesiastical figure in Nicaragua, did not immediately offer any comments on this development.

The Nicaraguan government emphasized that this deal underscores its unwavering dedication to finding resolutions.

Notable Exclusion

It is important to note that Bishop Rolando Álvarez was conspicuously absent from the list of priests who were set free and sent to Rome. Álvarez had previously been found guilty of conspiracy and received a 26-year prison sentence back in February. This conviction came shortly after Ortega's administration orchestrated the transfer of 222 prisoners to the United States in a deal brokered by the U.S. government. Significantly, Álvarez had adamantly refused to board that flight, which later prompted Nicaragua's government to strip those prisoners of their citizenship.

Challenges with the Catholic Church

In recent years, President Ortega's government has been notably assertive in its dealings with the Catholic Church. The president has consistently maintained that the church played a role in supporting the popular protests against his administration in April 2018, which he viewed as an attempted coup.

This recent development highlights the complex relationship between the Nicaraguan government and the Catholic Church, as these 12 priests are now bound for Rome, leaving behind a nation grappling with the consequences of these events.