Daniel Ortega’s government released 222 opposition members on Thursday and deported them to the United States without citizenship.
Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who refused to be deported, was sentenced to 26 years in prison for, among other things, violating national unity.
“I am very saddened by the news from Nicaragua,” the Argentine pope said at the end of the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square.
“I can’t help thinking anxiously about the Bishop of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, whom I love so much, and also about the people who were deported to the United States.”
Francis said he prayed for everyone and “for those who are suffering in this beloved nation.”
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In addition, he urged the political leaders to follow the path of “true search for peace, born of justice, freedom and love, and achieved through the practice of patient dialogue”.
Among the 222 Nicaraguan dissidents released from prison are former presidential candidate Cristiana Chamorro and her brother and former minister Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, as well as other politicians seeking to challenge Ortega in the latest election.
Two other members of the Chamorro family associated with the now-banned online newspaper La Prensa and former guerrilla commander Dora María Téllez were also released and deported to the United States.
Announcing the measure on Thursday, Ortega said the 56-year-old Bishop of Matagalpa, who has been imprisoned since August on conspiracy charges, refused to travel to the United States with the released group.
The president noted that a dozen priests, deacons and theologians voluntarily boarded the plane with 222 dissidents released from prison, and that there are currently only three religious prisoners in Nicaragua: two priests for “common crimes” and one bishop for “terrorism”. ”
Source: Ultimahora
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Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
