Much has changed in the relationship between the Catholic Church and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, Vice President, since he took office in the country.

Ortega and the Sandinista National Liberation Front, a left-wing guerrilla organization, originally relied on Catholics to mobilize against the brutal dictatorship of former President Anastasio Somoza. The movement grew out of then-burgeoning liberation theology, which combined Marxism and Christianity, according to The Public Discourse.

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The Ortega regime has since turned against the Catholic Church, especially after protests against his dictatorial presidency in 2018. According to Open Doors, persecution of believers has increased since then.

In the latest crackdown, seven Nicaraguan priests arrested in recent weeks were exiled to Rome, the Vatican reported. The clergy were among the religious leaders arrested and detained by the National Police in the diocese of Matagalpa, led by Bishop Rolando Álvarez, an outspoken critic of the Ortega regime.

Álvarez was exiled earlier this year because he faced a 26-year prison sentence.

After their arrest, the detained priests were reportedly placed under house arrest at the National Interdiocesan Seminary of Our Lady of Fátima before being exiled.

Among those exiled are two high-ranking representatives of the diocese, Father René Vega Matamoros and Edgard Sacasa, who took over the leadership of the Diocese of Matagalpa after Álvarez's exile.

Other detainees include Father Marlon Velázquez, Father Jairo Pravia, Vicar Víctor Godoy of the Immaculate Conception of the Church of María de Sebáco, Franciscan friar Silvio José Romero and Father Harvin Tórrez, rector of the Matagalpa Seminary.

The detentions and expulsions are a result of ongoing tensions between the Catholic Church and the Nicaraguan government, which is internationally condemned for its human rights violations.

The Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States appeal for prayers for the safety, boldness and spiritual courage of the faithful in Nicaragua, especially the clergy.

“In these difficult times, it is vital for us to pray together for the Church in Nicaragua,” the organization said. “Let us pray for the safety and strength of priests, deacons and all members of the clergy who courageously defend their faith despite persecution. Our prayers can offer them comfort and support and remind them that they are not alone in their struggle.”

Several Republican lawmakers have called on President Joe Biden's administration to impose tough sanctions on Nicaragua over the Ortega regime's human rights abuses. Among the lawmakers calling for action were Senators Rick Scott (Republican of Florida), Ted Cruz (Republican of Texas), Katie Britt (Republican of Alabama) and Tommy Tuberville (Republican of Alabama).

The US State Department has designated Nicaragua as a “country of particular concern” due to its violations of religious freedom, noting that the violations also impact evangelical Christians in the country.

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