Dictatorship censors the Catholic channel and Murillo lashes out against Mons. Rolando Álvarez

On Thursday May 19, 2022 Bishop Rolando Álvarez of the diocese of Matagalpa took shelter in a parish in Las Colinas, Managua, until the police harassment against him is lifted. The streets to the parish were immediately blocked off by the police, and the Catholic television stations signal was removed from all the cable providers. By Monday May 23 he had returned to the bishops house in Matagalpa, which also was heavily guarded by police patrol cars. The Bishops conferences of Costa Rica and Panama have issued letters in support of the bishop.

Dictatorship censors the Catholic channel and Murillo lashes out against Mons. Rolando Álvarez

By DIVERGENTES May 20, 2022

“There are those who use lies to stand out,” said the Vice President while she ordered the police siege against the bishop of Matagalpa. This Friday the Catholic channel administered by the Episcopal Conference since 2011 was eliminated from the television listings.

The Vice President Rosario Murillo excoriated this afternoon against those “who use lies to stand out” and hours later the Catholic Church channel was censored. The declarations happened nearly 24 hours after Mons. Rolando Álvarez, Bishop of the Diocese of Matagalpa and Estelí denounced police persecution against him that Thursday night. The Catholic bishop took refuge in a church in Las Colinas, which remains surrounded by officers since Friday.

“There are those who use lies to stand out. This is terrible, there are those who use lies to be bosses in any area, to get ahead of others in any job, a job which perhaps has benefits for them, for those who lie,” stated the vice president who since the beginning of the protests had directed personal attacks against religious, calling them “pharisees” and “coup supporters.”

“Lies are what those who move in a world of fantasy utter, provoking. That is great, we already know them, we already know that the lies will not go far. We already know the damage that one does to oneself when one wants to do damage to others,” added Murillo.

The church is experiencing a new moment of tension in Nicaragua after a new repressive wave carried out in recent weeks by the dictatorship. This afternoon the national Catholic television channel was also eliminated, administered since 2011 by the Episcopal Conference and whose principal content consisted in religious information. Nevertheless, after the censorship of the regime, it also hosted programs like Doble Play, led by the sports reporter Edgar Tijerino.  During the pandemic it was one of the principal communications media open that published scientific information from the voices of experts.

The announcement was made by CLARO, one of the principal telecommunications companies that operate in the country. According to the company “by indications of the Nicaraguan Telecommunications Institute (TELCOR) Channel 51, the Catholic Channel, is being eliminated from the list of program services.”

The persecution against Mons. Álvarez

On his part, Mons. Álvarez remains sheltered in the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas Church, located in Las Colinas. The police patrol cars and motorcycles remain outside the church. The bishop stated this Thursday that he has begun a fast until the police institution ensures him that they will cease to approach his closest family circle.

“At the end of the afternoon, finding myself in the home of my niece, I went directly to the officers to ask them why they were following me. They have informed me that they are obeying orders. I have said to them that they should communicate with the first commissioner that now this persecution has been enough,” stated the bishop in a video disseminated through social media.

This afternoon the Archdiocese of Matagalpa issued a press release where they ask “that they cease this behavior and respectfully allow every brother and sister to carry out their rights, freedoms, and human and constitutional guarantees without obstacles and fear”. “It is always ideal to make a call for natural, unforced dialogue for the reencounter of the Nicaraguan family and together, without exclusions, create a nation respectful of the dignity of the human person with justice and freedom,” added the religious institution.

The prelude to these acts was a report done by the Justice Commission of the National Assembly – dominated by government supporters – where they implicate the religious as promoters of the supposed coup. “Sectors of the oligarchy, jointly with some religious leaders and certain NGOs promoted a coup attempt financed, directed and organized principally from outside the country committing crimes that violate the human rights of Nicaraguans,” continues the document.