Nicaragua says it released Bishop Rolando Álvarez, 18 priests from jail, handed them over to Vatican
The Nicaraguan government says it has released Bishop Rolando Álvarez and 18 clergy members from jail and handed them over to Vatican authorities
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Nicaraguan government said Sunday it released Bishop Rolando Álvarez and 18 clergy members from jail and handed them over to Vatican authorities.
The government said in a press statement the release was part of negotiations with the Vatican. In the past, imprisoned priests have been quickly flown to Rome.
The government of President Daniel Ortega said those released Sunday also included Bishop Isidoro Mora.
Ortega’s government 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. He refused to get on the February flight to the United States.
Álvarez, one of the country's most outspoken clergy members, had refused to get on the flight without being able to consult with other bishops.
Since repressing popular protests in 2018 that called for his resignation, President Daniel Ortega’s government has systematically silenced opposing voices and zeroed in on the church.
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.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.