Vatican signs deal with Ortega: 12 Nicaraguan priests to Rome

The Vatican has confirmed it has agreed to receive 12 priests detained in Nicaragua.

“The Holy See agreed; They will be received in the afternoon (October 19) by a representative of the Secretariat of State and placed in the facilities of the Diocese of Rome,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a written statement.

‘Old Conversations’

A Nicaraguan government statement said on social media yesterday that “fruitful discussions with the Holy See” had resulted in an agreement to free the 12 priests and extradite them to Rome. This has now been confirmed by the Vatican.

These include priests who were jailed on charges of supporting the April 2018 anti-government protests.

Alvarez

The most famous imprisoned priest, Bishop Rolando Alvarez Lagos of Madagalpa, is no longer among the priests going to Rome. Alvarez has spent 16 months in custody and has been sentenced to more than 26 years in prison on treason charges. He had previously chosen captivity over a life in exile. More than 200 priests persecuted by the Ortega dictatorship were later deported to the United States.