(Presidentialwire.com)- Reports show Christians in Nicaragua face increased persecution at the hands of dictator Daniel Ortega, who bishops from across the globe have roundly criticized.
Several bishops have spoken out against the growing human rights breaches in Nicaragua after the deportation of over 200 of Daniel Ortega’s opponents and the condemning Matagalpa Bishop Rolando Alvarez to nearly 30 years in jail.
The detention of Bishop Alvarez and other priests was denounced by Peruvian Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos, the head of the Latin American Bishops’ Council, who also promised orisons for their immediate release.
According to the archbishop’s letter, the rights of the faithful in Nicaragua are being trampled upon and tested in real-time.
The Spanish Episcopal Conference stated it was watching the situation in Nicaragua with sadness.
According to reports, many priests were expelled or imprisoned, Catholic faith-promoting radio stations were shut down, and the Apostolic Nuncio and the Sisters of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity were deported. All of which contributed to the outrage felt by the Chilean Bishops Conference over the unjust, arbitrary, and disproportionate punishment of Bishop Alvarez.
In addition to Bishop Alvarez, many other religious leaders have spoken out against the suppression of fundamental liberties in Nicaragua.
According to the most recent Global Watch List published by Open Doors, an advocacy organization for Christians, 2022 was the worst year for Christians worldwide, owing to a rising degree of violence, prejudice, and exclusion.
The new “Law against Reactionary Thought,” established in 2021, has resulted in increased arrests, making North Korea once again seem to be the most inhospitable location for Christians to reside. Christians are subject to harsh punishments if they are seen worshipping openly, including forced labor camps and even execution. Possession of a Bible is itself a punishable offense.
In Afghanistan, converting from Islam to another religion carries the death penalty. As a result, the small Christian population in the area had little choice but to hide their faith.
Over 30,000 attacks on Christians have been reported across the world.
