The religious freedom in Nicaragua is threatened by the shadow of the forced disappearance of religious figures under the regime of Daniel Ortega. This new wave of arbitrary captures illustrates systematic repression and demonstrates the violation of fundamental rights within the country’s political context.
The recent wave of detentions against religious leaders began in mid-December 2023, with the arbitrary arrest of a second bishop, Bishop Isidoro Mora from Siuna. Currently, nearly 20 religious figures are in a state of forced disappearance, a new strategy to silence critical voices exposing the crimes committed by the government.
For over 500 days now, Bishop Rolando Álvarez has been detained in the cells of the Jorge Navarro Penitentiary System, known as La Modelo. He was sentenced to 26 years in prison for alleged crimes that betray the nation. Furthermore, this renowned advocate for public freedoms was permanently disqualified from holding public office and stripped of his Nicaraguan nationality.
A second bishop captured
This new raid began on December 20, 2023, with the capture of Bishop Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega. He is the bishop of the Diocese of Siuna. He was kidnapped by police officers and paramilitaries while he was on his way to celebrate confirmations at the parish of Cruz de Rio Grande. A day before his abduction, he had prayed for bishop Rolando Álvarez.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) urged the Nicaraguan dictatorship ‘to urgently disclose’ the whereabouts of the bishop of Siuna. To date, there is no formal accusation against him.
Monsignors Carlos Avilez and Marcos Díaz Prado were kidnapped on December 28, 2023. Avilez is the parish priest of the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas parish, belonging to the Archdiocese of Managua, and Díaz Prado is the parish priest of the Santo Tomás Apóstol Church in the Port of Corinto.
No formal accusation has been presented against these religious figures, and there is no specific information available regarding their whereabouts.
On December 29, bishop Silvio Fonseca became the target of police agents. After harassing him throughout the day, they executed the abduction of the priest under the cover of night. He is the parish priest of the Santa Faz Parish, Vicar of Family, Childhood, and Youth of the Archdiocese, and also the director of the Juan Pablo Segundo Institute.
“The fury of Ortega’s criminal dictatorship against the Church continues. Another beloved priest from the Archdiocese of Managua has been kidnapped today: monsignor Silvio Fonseca. My fraternal closeness and prayers for him. Freedom for him and for all priests!” said bishop Silvio Báez last night on his X account (formerly Twitter).
The last monsignor detained was Miguel Mántica, also kidnapped on December 29. He is the parish priest of the San Francisco de Asís parish located in Reparto Bolonia of the Archdiocese of Managua. His detention was also carried out by police officers and paramilitaries.
Kidnapped priests
The first kidnapped priest in this new wave was Pablo Villafranca, detained on December 26, 2023. He is the parish priest of Our Lord of Veracruz parish in Nindirí, Masaya, belonging to the Archdiocese of Managua. He had been previously detained illegally on two occasions.
“He was in the residential area of Planes de Veracruz. The priest lived there, they took him out of his room,” quoted a digital media outlet.
On December 28, two more priests were detained. The clergyman Héctor Treminio is the parish priest of the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas parish, belonging to the Archdiocese of Managua. The second detained priest was Fernando Calero, parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima in Rancho Grande. He was kidnapped by the National Police at his parish, and a day before this incident, he had mentioned the political prisoner Bishop Rolando Álvarez. Calero´s parish belongs to the dioceses of Matagalpa.
One day later, on December 29, three priests were detained. The priest Mykel Monterrey is the parish priest of Our Lady of Candelaria parish in the Archdiocese of Managua. He was kidnapped at midnight while he was at the rectory. It is located near what used to be the Polytechnic University of Nicaragua (Upoli).
Father Raúl Zamora is the parish priest of the Jesus of Divine Mercy parish in the Archdiocese of Managua. He is known as the ‘hero of the faith’ and is a survivor of the attack on the Divine Mercy church near the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Managua (UNAN-Managua), in the context of the occupation of the universities.
“I believe I spent three weeks in critical condition after that – emotionally and physically it affected me a lot, because it was such a painful experience and suddenly, I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it,” he recounted to LA PRENSA.
Father Gerardo José Rodríguez, parish priest of the Purísima Concepción parish located in the Belmonte District of the Archdiocese of Managua, was also kidnapped. He was abducted by police officers and paramilitaries, as has been the norm in these arbitrary detentions. Father Rodríguez suffers from diabetes and has been hospitalized in several occasions before.
On December 30, priests Jader Hernández and Ismael Serrano were kidnapped. Both are members of the Archdiocese of Managua. Father Serrano suffers from multiple illnesses that require constant and adequate medical attention.
On the last day of the year 2023, Father José Gustavo Sandino Ochoa, who also suffers from multiple illnesses, was kidnapped. He is the parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Santa María de Pantasma, Diocese of Jinotega.
There is no information available regarding the whereabouts of these priests or the alleged crimes attributed to them by the Ortega regime.
Detained seminarians
Seminarians Alester Sáenz, Tony Palacio, and Francisco Odorico Castiblanco have been victims of a kidnapping carried out by Police and paramilitaries. So far, their whereabouts remain unknown, as well as the reasons behind the accusations made by Daniel Ortega’s regime against them.
Sáenz and Palacio were detained on December 20, 2023, while Castiblanco was arrested on January 2, 2024, marking the first case of a religious figure being detained in this new year.
Alester and Palacio are students at the Interdiocesan Seminary of Our Lady of Fatima and were captured alongside bishop Isidoro Mora. On the other hand, Castiblanco is a member of the Major Seminary, belonging to the Diocese of Estelí. Originally from Jinotega, after his capture, he was transferred to Managua.