NICARAGUA: Increasing Arrests and Forcible Closures

Source: VOMC
Sources: Christian Daily, Catholic News Agency, Vatican News, EWTN

President Daniel Ortega Photo: Wikipedia / Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan)

Opposition to Christians from the dictatorial government of Nicaragua continues to intensify, resulting in many religious leaders being arrested/deported and more faith-based organizations forcibly shut down.
In April, a report was released outlining some of the harassment being perpetrated by government forces against churches and NGOs (see this page).

From July 26th to August 3rd, authorities arrested 11 Roman Catholic leaders in northern Nicaragua. On August 7th, Rosario Murillo, the wife of dictator Daniel Ortega, announced that seven other Nicaraguan priests who had left the country "arrived safely" at the Vatican. In the most recent incidents, Father Leonel Balmaceda was arrested on August 10th, as were two laywomen. The next day, Father Denis Martínez García was arrested while on his way to celebrate mass.

Along with these recent arrests and deportations, the legal statuses of 15 non-governmental organizations were revoked on August 12th, including one of the branches of the Catholic aid agency, Caritas, and some groups linked with Protestant denominations. It was reported that nine of the organizations voluntarily closed down. According to a report from the National Catholic Reporter, 3,552 organizations within the country have been terminated in recent years. The most recent statistics indicate that around 45 percent of the nation's population consider themselves Roman Catholic and 40 percent Protestant.

Pray for wisdom on behalf of all the remaining Nicaraguan followers of Jesus as they seek to meet the spiritual needs of fellow citizens in their country. 

Please also intercede for President Ortega and other leaders within the nation, praying that God's Holy Spirit would move powerfully within their hearts so they would not only end their crackdown on the country's churches and Christian organizations, but also personally experience a divine life-changing encounter with the Living Christ. 

In the meantime, as believers in Nicaragua seek to remain faithful amid a hostile environment, may they receive continued guidance, courage and protection, as well as the strength they need to stand strong for Jesus.