(ZENIT News / Managua, 02.06.2025).- In a new wave of repression against the Catholic Church, the Nicaraguan government has expelled approximately 30 Clarisas nuns from their convents in Managua and Chinandega, forcing them to leave with only a few belongings. This latest move under President Daniel Ortega’s regime deepens an already dire situation for the Church in Nicaragua, which has faced mounting persecution in recent years.
The expulsion of the nuns comes just days after the government seized the San Luis de Gonzaga Seminary in the Diocese of Matagalpa on January 20. Dozens of seminarians were present at the time of the confiscation, with police ordering them to leave immediately and return home. The seminary, a vital institution for training future priests, served multiple dioceses, including Matagalpa and Siuna. Its forced closure signals yet another effort to dismantle Catholic institutions in the country.
This is not an isolated incident. Just days before the seminary takeover, the government also seized the Pastoral Center La Cartuja in Matagalpa. Witnesses reported that paramilitary forces stormed the facility, forcibly removing dozens of faithful who were attending a spiritual retreat.
The suppression of Catholic institutions has accelerated dramatically, with priests, religious orders, and even bishops becoming direct targets of Ortega’s government. Since his return to power, the Diocese of Matagalpa alone has lost over 60 percent of its clergy. Nationally, Nicaragua has seen a 20 percent reduction in its Catholic clergy due to arrests, expulsions, and forced exile.
A Systematic Persecution
Under Ortega’s rule, religious freedom has eroded, with the Catholic Church bearing the brunt of government hostility. Since 2022, the government has ramped up efforts to silence the Church through a series of restrictive measures, including banning public religious processions, shutting down Catholic charities and schools, and expelling missionaries and religious congregations. Catholic media outlets have also been heavily censored or outright closed.
Perhaps the most high-profile case of persecution was that of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, who was initially sentenced to 26 years in prison for alleged treason. After serving a year behind bars, he was exiled to Rome in early 2024. His appointment as apostolic vicar, Father Frutos Valle, was also arrested, further highlighting the regime’s determination to crush any form of dissent within the Church.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis has continued to offer words of support to Nicaragua’s embattled Catholic community. In a pastoral letter dated December 2, 2024, he reminded Nicaraguan Catholics: “Do not forget the loving Providence of the Lord, who accompanies us and is our only sure guide.”
A Broader Climate of Repression
The Ortega regime’s crackdown is not limited to religious institutions. Political dissidents, journalists, and student activists have also faced severe reprisals. In 2023, the government forcibly exiled 222 political prisoners, stripping them of their Nicaraguan citizenship and sending them to the United States. Many of them, including opposition leaders and civil society figures, now live in limbo, unable to return to their homeland.
Miguel Flores, one of the exiled political prisoners, expressed the deep sense of displacement in an interview with National Catholic Reporter: “That was the moment we became stateless, without a country, and in the end, our freedom was not real because true freedom means being able to stay in your own country.”
As Nicaragua tightens its grip on civil society and religious organizations, the fate of the remaining Catholic clergy and faithful in the country remains uncertain. The latest expulsions and property seizures suggest that Ortega’s government is determined to neutralize any institution capable of challenging its authority—no matter how deep its roots in the nation’s history and culture.
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