Nicaragua’s dictatorship, which persecutes the Catholic Church, has expelled at least 65 nuns and prevented six others from entering the country since last year. The information was released by lawyer Martha Patricia Molina to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa last weekend.
Molina told the newspaper that the total number of nuns expelled or prevented from entering Nicaragua is certainly higher.
“The number of 71 nuns is symbolic, it is greater because 98% of the foreign nuns were expelled from the country, and the congregations had to send for the [freiras] Nicaraguans who are on missions in other continents to fill this gap. But neither are they allowing Nicaraguans to enter,” said the lawyer, author of a report on the persecution of the Church in Nicaragua.
She mentioned that at least ten religious congregations in the country were affected by this persecution of the nuns: Dominicans of the Anunciata, Missionaries of Charity, Trappist nuns, Religious of the Cross of the Sacred Heart, Poor Sisters of Jesus Christ of Nicaragua and five others, who asked for secrecy. for Security reasons”.
Molina pointed out that the expulsions took place with “psychological violence” in most cases. “They [freiras] are shaken. The suffering and anguish they went through has been inexplicable, seeing nuns who had served the country for years having to leave without any explanation from the authorities,” said the lawyer.
Nicaragua has intensified since last year the persecution of the Catholic Church, with arrests and expulsions of religious from the country, appropriation of assets, freezing of accounts and banning of activities. Dictator Daniel Ortega accuses the Church of trying to overthrow him, for having supported and welcomed demonstrators in the 2018 pro-democracy protests.
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