Nicaragua, a country that has become openly anti-Christian

Nicaragua is a surprise in the Global Christian Persecution Index because this small Latin American country, in one year, has moved up almost twenty places in the ranking of the worst countries, as much as any country in the world. Persecutors of Christians. Its population of 5.6 million is 30% Protestant and 50% Catholic.

“Daniel Ortega’s government openly represses religious freedom and makes no secret of his enmity against the Church, Observes the Portes Overtes Association, Especially since Christian leaders have publicly called for respect for the rule of law.» therefore “Christian universities lose their legal recognition. Christian media confiscated by the government. Many dioceses and churches have blocked access to their bank accounts. And certain public Christian celebrations are banned.

Conspiracy against the State

without forgetting”347 Church» who suffered an attack in 2023. In this context, on March 18, the Vatican closed its diplomatic representation. A month ago, in February 2023, M^Gr The Archbishop of Matagalpan, an important city in the center of the country, Rolando José Alvarez Lagos, was arrested and then tried: stripped of his nationality, he was sentenced to 26 years in prison. “Conspiracy against the State” He was one of the most critical bishops of the left-populist regime of Daniel Ortega.

More recently, on December 20, another bishop, M^Gr Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega was also arrested. His crime? Called to pray for them^Gr Alvarez Lagos. The regime also imprisoned fifteen priests and two seminarians. These seventeen Catholic priests were finally expelled from Nicaragua on January 14 to be welcomed by the Vatican. Rome conducted these negotiations with the support of the Pope.