After the Italian priest, Cosimo Damiano Muratori referred to the imprisonment of Bishop Rolando Alvarez as a "historic action." As a result, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, expelled the priest from the country.

"Historic Action" Statement of Cosimo Damiano Muratori

According to a report from the Catholic News Agency, On Sunday, Feb. 12, Father Cosimo Damiano Muratori of El Tepeyac Franciscan Shrine in Jinotega stated in his homily that Bishop Alvarez was included on the list of people who were obligated to travel to the United States. However, since Bishop Alvarez remained, Father Muratori considered him a man of true character and grit. "They're putting me in prison, then throw me in prison," Father Muratori added.

As a result of the criticism that Muratori made during his homily, officials from the government visited him. They requested the priest to come to the General Directorate for Migration and Foreigners (DGME) in Managua the next day. Father Muratori departed Nicaragua early in the morning to meet the appointment that the Nicaraguan authorities had required. His whereabouts were unknown until it was revealed that he would be expelled from the country.

A report from the National Catholic Register stated that Father Muratori is an Italian Franciscan missionary working in the region of northern Nicaragua to spread the Christian faith. He is also the vice postulator of the cause for canonization of the Servant of God Odorico D'Andrea and serves as the rector of the El Tepeyac Francin in Jinotega. Furthermore, Cosimo Damiano Muratori was the second church leader exiled from Nicaragua following Bishop Alvarez.

Also Read: Deported Bishop of Diocese of Matagalpa Refused to Leave Nicaragua

Exiled Bishop Alvarez

Based on a report from the Christianity Daily, on Thursday, Feb. 9, the dictatorship of David Ortega resulted in the expulsion of 222 political prisoners, including Bishop Rolando Alvarez. The bishop was already in the airport when he suddenly changed his mind and refused to leave the country.

As a result, the bishop was given a sentence of 26 years and four months in prison by a court in Nicaragua just one day after turning down an opportunity to flee the country. The bishop of Matagalpa, Rolando Alvarez, was referred to as "a traitor to the fatherland." The judge added that Bishop Alvarez would be imprisoned until 2049 and would not be eligible for release until then. In addition to this, he also ruled that the bishop would be required to pay a fine of $1,600 and that his Nicaraguan citizenship would be withdrawn.

Furthermore, Bishop Alvarez was known for his outspoken opposition to what he referred to as the Ortega government's limitations on the freedom of religion. Former presidential candidates, journalists, Sandinista guerrilla commanders, ministries, diplomats, and business and trade leaders are also among those who have been liberated and allowed to leave the country, as was previously indicated. They previously sent a request to Ortega, who has been in power as president since 2007, to resign from his position. Additionally, among the 222 people who willingly escaped Nicaragua for exile in the United States, at least 12 members of the church, including priests, deacons, seminary students, and other church employees.

Related Article: US Government Should Seek Release of Nicaragua's Bishop, says US Commission on International Religious Freedom