Nicaragua Frees Jailed Bishop and 18 Clergy Members After Vatican Negotiations

Nicaragua's government has released Bishop Rolando Alvarez and 18 other clergy members who were imprisoned in a crackdown by President Daniel Ortega and handed them over to Vatican authorities in Rome. The release followed Pope Francis' public mention of the situation in Nicaragua, where bishops and priests had been deprived of their freedom. Ortega's government claimed the releases were part of negotiations with the Vatican, but since repressing popular protests in 2018, it has systematically silenced opposing voices and targeted the Catholic Church.