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After a four-day trial behind closed doors, a Nicaraguan court found four Catholic priests guilty of “conspiracy” against the state, who last year were held in the Matagalpa Episcopal Curia for 15 days. Two seminarians and a cameraman from the Diocese of the aforementioned city in the center of the country were also charged on the same charge. His sentence will be known next February and the Prosecutor’s Office requests 10 years in prison against him.
The repression of the Government of Daniel Ortega does not stop. In one of his latest actions against anyone who shows opposition to his Administration, four Catholic priests were found guilty of “conspiring” against the State.
The ruling was handed down on Thursday, January 26, by the judge of the Criminal Trial District, Nadia Tardencilla, who determined that the defendants allegedly colluded with the objective of “undermining national integrity and propagating false news to the detriment of the State of Nicaragua and society”.
The religious affected are Ramiro Tijerino Chávez, general rector of the Juan Pablo II University; José Luis Díaz Cruz, vicar of the Cathedral of Matagalpa and his predecessor Sadiel Antonio Eugarrio Cano; and Deacon Raúl Antonio Vega.
Also charged in the same case were seminarians Darvin Leiva Mendoza and Melkin Centeno, as well as the cameraman from the Diocese of the city of Matagalpa, in the center of the country, Sergio Cadena Flores.
These are the people who in August 2022 were held by the Police, together with Bishop Rolando Álvarez for two weeks, in his curia, to investigate him for trying to “destabilize” the country.
The events occurred days after Álvarez denounced the closure by the authorities of five Catholic radio stations and demanded that the Government respect religious “freedom”.
Then, the Police announced that the Bishop’s Diocese was being investigated for trying to “organize violent groups” and incite “hate” to “destabilize the State of Nicaragua.”
Monsignor Álvarez remains in house arrest and was also sent to trial.
The sentence against the seven people found guilty this week is expected to be announced on February 3. However, the Prosecutor’s Office requests 10 years in prison against him.
With EFE and local media
