Carmen and Lesbia are religious leaders in Nicaragua. They were detained on 10 August 2024 and haven’t been seen or heard from since. Where are they?
They are believed to be being held in La Esperanza women’s prison, where conditions are poor, but they’ve had no contact with their families or lawyers since they were arbitrarily detained – not even a proof of life.
Join the campaign and pray for answers: csw.org.uk/WhereAreThey
Sunday 1 June
Pray today for Carmen María Sáenz Martinez and Lesbia del Socorro Gutiérrez Poveda. Neither woman has committed any crime. Pray that the Nicaraguan government will provide an urgent proof of life for Carmen and Lesbia. Pray that they will be freed immediately and without condition.
Monday 2 June
In 2024, we documented 46 cases of arbitrary detention of religious leaders. In some cases, multiple people were detained. Pray for the unconditional release of those who are still held unjustly. Pray that those who were forced into exile would be able to return to Nicaragua with their citizenship restored.
Tuesday 3 June
Pastor Efrén Antonio Vílchez López is serving a 23-year sentence on trumped-up charges. The Protestant pastor has a history of criticising the government’s acts of injustice. Pray specifically for Pastor Efrén’s health. Prison officials have sometimes refused to pass on packages of food and basic supplies from his relatives – including medicine for hypertension, blood circulation and other health issues.
Wednesday 4 June
Throughout 2024, President Daniel Ortega and Vice-President Rosario Murillo (his wife) continued to crackdown on fundamental freedoms in an effort to silence their critics. Pray that they will be held to account for their crimes.
Thursday 5 June
Father Frutos Constantino Valle Salmerón has been under house arrest since July 2024. The priest suffers from hypertension and diabetes, and remains under permanent guard. Pray for his health and freedom, as well as for other religious leaders who have been arbitrarily detained in Nicaragua.
Friday 6 June
Last year, the Nicaraguan government stripped hundreds of civil society organisations of their legal status. Among them were religious orders, churches, entire Protestant denominations, schools, religious radio and television outlets, and faith-based charities. Pray that the government would unfreeze the bank accounts and restore the legal status of those who were cancelled.
Saturday 7 June
Lord, nothing is hidden from you; even darkness is as light to you. And as we read in Psalm 139: where can we go from your Spirit? We pray that Carmen and Lesbia will know the closeness of your presence at this time, and that the truth will come to light – ultimately leading to their freedom. Amen.