Nicaraguan vice president defends police “patience” with Matagalpa bishop

The Vice President of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, has justified the action of the National Police against Bishop Rolando Alvarez, of the diocese of Matagalpa, after he allegedly waited “with patience, prudence, respect and sense of responsibility” for some gesture from the religious.

The Police had already been holding Alvarez and several of his collaborators since August 4, but finally on Friday at dawn launched an operation with the objective of “recovering normality” in Matagalpa.

Both the Police and Murillo have alleged that there was no other response after there was no “positive communication” from the bishop. In this sense, the wife of the president, Daniel Ortega, pointed out that it is up to the security forces “to guard the peace, security and tranquility of Nicaraguan families”, according to Canal 6.

Murillo explained that the government is aware of what is happening and defended the “culture of encounter”, despite the fact that the action against Rolando Alvarez has led to criticism from human rights organizations, including the UN.

The Ortega government accuses the Catholic Church of fomenting the citizen mobilization that broke out in 2018 and in recent weeks has hardened the persecution on religious organizations and leaders.