A Roman Catholic priest and a bishop were targeted in the Department of Matagalpa by the Nicaraguan authorities this week. Father Uriel Vallejos was surrounded and forcibly confined to a parish house in the city of S\u00e9baco by the police and paramilitaries from 1 August until late morning on 4 August. In a separate incident, in the city of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Jose \u00c1lvarez was blockaded inside the curia by security forces on 4 August, preventing him from officiating Mass in the afternoon and evening.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The police actions followed an order for the immediate halt of transmissions by six Roman Catholic radio stations in the Department of Matagalpa on Monday, 1 August, issued by Nahima D\u00edaz, executive president of The Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Post Office (TELCOR). The forced closure was based on a claim that the stations have not held valid authorisations dating back to 2003. These claims were refuted by Roman Catholic officials who pointed out that Monsignor \u00c1lvarez had provided the required documentation to TELCOR in June 2016, but that his requests for official acknowledgement went unanswered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also on 1 August, police accompanied by paramilitaries stormed the Infant Jesus of Prague Chapel, part of the Jesus of Divine Mercy Parish in S\u00e9baco, in order to confiscate radio and television equipment inside the church. Worshippers inside the church attempted to stop the police from entering and at least two were injured. Father Vallejos and a number of worshippers took refuge inside the parish house adjacent to the chapel and were then blockaded inside by the security forces until late morning on 4 August when the security forces withdrew and the priest escaped and went to an undisclosed location. During the blockade, the priest, who is diabetic, subsisted on bread and water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same day, on 4 August, in the city of Matagalpa, heavily armed security forces surrounded the curia of the Matagalpa Diocese, blocking Monsignor \u00c1lvarez inside and preventing anyone outside from entering. In response, the bishop approached the security forces, singing and praying for the officers and asking them to reconsider their actions. Monsignor \u00c1lvarez was not permitted to leave the curia in the afternoon to officiate Mass in the Matagalpa Cathedral and the most recent information received by CSW is that he is still blockaded inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n