US Officials Demand Release of Imprisoned Nicaraguan Bishop Amid Religious Freedom Violations

Bishop Rolando Álvarez, sentenced to 26 years for alleged treason, remains in prison as part of a broader crackdown on the Catholic Church by the Nicaraguan government.

• Bishop Rolando Álvarez of the Catholic Diocese of Matagalpa has spent over 500 days in prison after being sentenced to 26 years for alleged treason and spreading false news.
• The bishop refused to be exiled to the United States, choosing to remain in Nicaragua in protest against the Ortega-Murillo regime's crackdown on the Catholic Church.
• The Nicaraguan government has been accused of shutting down charities, stripping universities of funding and legal status, eliminating non-governmental organizations, and banning news media.
• US officials, including State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Bishop Álvarez.
• The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has condemned the Nicaraguan government for its actions, and Secretary Blinken has designated Nicaragua as a Country of Particular Concern for severe violations of religious freedom.

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