The Bishop of Limón (Costa Rica), Bishop Javier Román Arias, called for the immediate release of Bishop Rolando Álvarez, unjustly sentenced to 26 years and 4 months in prison in Nicaragua.
“This day is also propitious to pray for the persecuted Church, specifically, in Nicaragua, in particular by my brother Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, a most worthy pastor of the Church, harassed for his courage and his dedication without duplicity to the people,” he said. the Prelate during a recent Mass for the feast of the Virgin of Los Angeles, Patroness of Costa Rica.
“Let us ask the Virgin for her immediate and unconditional release, so that she can continue proclaiming the love of God even in the midst of injustice and oppression,” the Costa Rican Prelate urged, according to 100% Nicaragua News.
The Bishop of Limón thus joins many other voices calling for the release of Mons. Alvarez, as Mons. Silvio Báez, Auxiliary Bishop of Managua who lives in exile in Miami, or as Mons. Jose Antonio Canales, Bishop of Danli (Honduras).
The latter has assured that Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, convicted of the Daniel Ortega dictatorship in Nicaragua, “is not going to shut up”, even though he is in prison.
Bishop Rolando Álvarez, Bishop of Matagalpa and Apostolic Administrator of Estelí, was sentenced in February, accused by the regime of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo of “treason against the homeland.”
The Prelate refused to be part of one of the 222 deported to the United States; and a day later he received the sentence that keeps him in prison.
Recently, the Bishop of Matagalpa had left the “La Modelo” prison and there was speculation about his leaving the country. However, the negotiations failed and he was returned to prison on 5 July.