MIAMI.- The former heads of State and Government members of the IDEA Group spoke out about the new attack by the Nicaraguan regime towards the Catholic Church, after the police kidnapping of the bishop of the diocese of Siuna, Monsignor Isidoro Mora.
The repressive action against Bishop Mora was for announcing and asking the parishioners to pray for Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, bishop of Matagalpa, sentenced by Daniel Ortega’s regime to 26 years in prison.
A new episode of human rights violations in Nicaragua arose with the arrest of obispo Isidoro Mora, in charge of the diocese of Siuna. Opposition activists and Nicaraguan media in exile denounced the police action, which took place on Wednesday in the La Cruz municipality of Río Grande.
Through a statement, the IDEA Group also referred to previous cases in which the Nicaraguan dictatorshiphas attacked the clergy. Referring to the “kidnapping of Monsignor Óscar José Escoto S, vicar of the diocese of Matagalpa, and preceded by the exile of the bishop of Managua, Monsignor Silvio Báez, and numerous priests of the Catholic Church, the expulsion of religious orders and the closure of universities and radio and TV stations”.
“We raise our energetic voice of protest and call on public opinion and governments that in the Americas and Europe that hold democratic convictions or respect the laws of human decency, so that they react,” the text states.
The international community, including the UN Human Rights Rapporteurs, have urged the Ortega regime to “immediately and unconditionally” release Monsignor Álvarez. The detention of Bishop Mora reinforces the need for an urgent and coordinated response to address growing concerns about religious and human rights in Nicaragua.
Source: EDITORIAL/AFP
