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In a troubling development, Bishop Isidoro Mora of the Siuna Church on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast was apprehended following his participation in a Mass commemorating the Matagalpa Church anniversary. CNN reached out to the Nicaraguan government for more details on Mora's legal status and the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
A source claimed to have witnessed the moments leading up to Mora's detention, revealing that he briefly mentioned the imprisoned Bishop Rolando Alva and government critic in his ten-minute sermon. "We pray here for the Church in Matagalpa and for Bishop Rolando," the source recalled Mora saying.
Regrettably, Mora was arrested the next day. Bishop Alvarez of Matagalpa is currently serving a 26-year sentence for conspiracy and treason for refusing to leave the country. More than 200 other regime opponents, including Alvarez, were sentenced in the same case.
An anonymous source cautioned CNN about the unclear circumstances surrounding Mora's arrest, as the details could have been clouded by a potential retaliation from the Nicaraguan government.
Another source shared with CNN that the persecution of the Church in Nicaragua is severe. "We remain silent, as we know that speaking out will result in retaliation. The whole world is aware, but we suffer," they conveyed.
According to Human Rights Watch, thousands of Nicaraguans have fled their homeland to escape persecution since the Ortega regime cracked down on widespread anti-regime protests in 2018. Hundreds lost their lives, thousands were injured, and many were arbitrarily detained during this time.
Demonstrators and their families often sought shelter in Nicaraguan churches and cathedrals, hoping to evade attacks by government-backed forces.
Now viewed as an oppositional force, the Catholic Church in Nicaragua is under scrutiny by the Ortega and Murillo regime. Officials refer to the Church's protests as a "coup attempt."
The arrest of Bishop Mora came after two Nicaraguan nuns were deported in April 20XX for praying for Alvarez. Yader Morazán, an expert in Nicaragua's judicial system and former official, concluded that the targeting of Catholic clergy and laity is a part of a broader suppression pattern.
Morazán revealed that numerous priests and laypeople have been detained, and more than 200 individuals, including priests and nuns, have been expelled or prevented from returning to Nicaragua.
On Monday, the state website El19digital reported that eleven people with ties to Christian organizations had been arrested and charged with money laundering. Nicaragua's President Ortega is set to be re-elected in 2021, marking his fifth term in office.
In the months since April, Ortega's government began detaining presidential candidates, opposition leaders, journalists, and human rights activists before the elections, invoking vague national security laws.
