Nicaragua detains second bishop as government intensifies crackdown on Church

A bishop in Nicaragua has been arrested by the police for expressing solidarity with another bishop who was found guilty of treason. Isidoro Mora was taken into custody after informing his congregation that the country's bishops were praying together for Rolando Álvarez, who is currently serving a 26-year prison sentence for criticizing President Daniel Ortega's government. This arrest is part of a wider crackdown on the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, with President Ortega and his wife targeting clergy who speak out against their rule. In February, 12 priests were among the 222 opposition figures deported from Nicaragua to the US. Álvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa, refused to go into exile unless instructed to do so by the Pope, leading to his treason conviction. Bishop Mora, who leads the diocese of Siuna, mentioned Álvarez during a homily, which is believed to have triggered his arrest. Since the mass protests against the government in 2018, the Catholic Church has been a source of opposition, with religious figures, organizations, and lay people all being targeted by the authorities. The government has also clamped down on other entities, including the cancellation of the legal status of the Jesuit religious community and the seizure of assets belonging to the Jesuit-run Central American University.