The Catholic Church is increasingly targeted by the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. The soothing words he speaks Pope Francesco On the return flight from Kazakhstan. “At this moment there is a dialogue“But this week, the fiery words of President Daniel Ortega came to slap the hand of the Holy See,” the Argentine Pope said in response to a question about the situation in Nicaragua.
The former guerrilla was re-elected for the fourth time in 2021 after disputed elections by the international community. Since the beginning of this year, he has targeted the Church, which has denounced with its bishops and clergy human rights violations and the repression of civil society. at work. Male Ortega over directly that catholic church “The bishops here in Nicaragua used to carry out a couprhetorically asks:Since when do priests have the power to talk about democracy?“.
The Sandinista leader, surrounded by his wife and deputy, Rosario Murillo Who was visibly shaking his head, called himself a Catholic.Doesn’t feel like an actor“From the pope because bishops and priests”They talk about democracy, but they don’t practice democracy“.”If they want to be democrats – Follow Ortega – start to voteAdding that if the Pope was elected before Catholics voteIt will be a revolution“While the Church now will be one”complete dictatorship“.
Burning tones go hand in hand with what has been happening in the country since the beginning of 2022: the Catholic Church, the last independent reality remaining in Nicaragua, has been suffering for months from the repression of the authoritarian regime with the arrest of dozens of these. and the closure of Catholic religious radio stations. In the diocese of Matagalpa, for example, the bishop Rolando Alvarez She is under house arrest and the nuns who prayed the rosary in the cathedral for her release have been expelled from the country.
to expel the religious, The Pope has expressed himself At the press conference on his return from Kazakhstan he said he expected “at least Mother Teresa’s nuns back from Calcutta. These women are good revolutionaries, but in the Bible! They are not at war with anyone. In fact, we all need these. Women.” Instead, Francesco’s conciliatory tones did not help to stop Ortega’s repressive policy, who spoke even of his staunch anti-clericalism.The corrupt church that tarnished the reputation of Christ that tarnished Christ“Going so far as to say that religion is in the world”They have committed thousands of crimes around the world“.
In recent months in Nicaragua the number of The priests ended up in prison For general offences, sometimes the subject of the charges is undone without the possibility of meeting family members. It was the climate of fear that caused José Canales, Bishop of the Diocese of Danley, Honduras, to announce that about fifty priests from Nicaragua had sought refuge in Honduras and Costa Rica because they were afraid of the actions of the Managua government.
L ‘frontal attack By Ortega This is undoubtedly a slap in the face to the conciliatory stance that Francis decided to adopt in the face of the ongoing escalation in the Central American country witnessed by the response he gave to Rome Reports correspondent Maria Angelis Conde Mer during the flight from Kazakhstan. On the other hand, Managua has recently entered the field of interest of one of the world champions to whom the current papacy looks closely: China. In fact, Ortega cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and praised Beijing”The leading role you play today in building the new multipolar world order. He decided To seize it and cede property to the People’s Republic of China.
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