The government of Jair Bolsonaro this Tuesday (9) condemned the shutdown of seven Catholic radio stations in Nicaragua and “the abuse of police against religious leaders and believers” following the arrest of a bishop by security forces.
In a statement, the State Department expressed its “grave concern” over the shutdowns and urged the Daniel Ortega government to restart stations “without delay” and “without delay” the “full exercise of freedom of religion”.
“The measure represents another heavy blow to civil space in Nicaragua and violates freedom of religion or belief and freedom of thought and expression,” the federal government’s statement said.
Earlier this month, Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who has been critical of the Ortega government, denounced the closure of publishers in the diocese in the Matagalpa region for alleged irregularities that the bishop has denied.
Álvarez was imprisoned for six days due to the police siege at the priest’s house in Matagalpa, where he lived and worked. The force accused the Church of inciting acts of violence to “destabilize” the country.
Relations between Ortega’s government and the Nicaraguan Catholic Church have been strained since opposition protests in 2018 resulted in 355 deaths, according to the Human Rights Commission of the Americas (IACHR).
Several neighborhoods welcomed the protesters, an action criticized by Ortega, calling them “barracks”.
While bishops of the Catholic Church in Latin America supported their Nicaraguan counterparts, Pope Francis avoided addressing the issue in his sermon last Sunday.
The European Union (EU) has spoken out against the “arbitrary” closure of Nicaraguan Catholic publishers and has denied violence.
source: Noticias
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