Republican congressman Chris Smith is urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take action to free Catholic bishop Rolando Álvarez Lagos, who was imprisoned in Nicaragua.
Álvarez was sentenced to over 26 years in prison for alleged treason after refusing exile to the U.S.
He chose to stay in protest against the persecution of other Catholics by the Nicaraguan government. (Trending: Another Major Company Goes Woke And Goes Broke)
“I am gravely concerned about the overall state of religious freedom in Nicaragua and write today inquiring about the wellbeing of His Excellency Rolando Álvarez Lagos, Bishop of Matagalpa, a prisoner of conscience who remains wrongfully detained by the brutal — and criminal — Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua,” GOP Rep. Chris Smith wrote in a letter.
A court in Nicaragua sentenced the Roman Catholic bishop earlier this year to more than 26 years in prison for alleged treason after he refused to be exiled to the United States.
Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega has alleged Catholic leaders were involved in a plot to overthrow him.
Protesters erupted in 2018 and resulted in about 300 deaths.
“Bishop Álvarez is an innocent man enduring unspeakable suffering,” Smith said. “His life and ministry have been an inspiring example of compassion, kindness, integrity and selfless service.”
Pope Francis compared Álvarez’s imprisonment to Hitler’s regime and called Ortega “unstable.”
“Given this disturbing trend of oppression, I respectfully request an explanation of what actions the Biden Administration is undertaking to advocate on behalf of Bishop Álvarez — and to compel the Ortega-Murillo regime to immediately release him from prison,” Smith wrote before providing 15 questions for the Biden administration to answer by Dec. 21.
Smith is demanding answers from the Biden administration about its efforts to release Álvarez and has provided 15 questions for the administration to answer, including:
• “Has the State Department filed a formal inquiry with the Nicaraguan government concerning the status of Bishop Álvarez?”
• “Has the State Department received any formal request for assistance from the Vatican to petition for the release of Bishop Álvarez?”
• “What is the Department doing to advocate for the release of Bishop Álvarez?”
The State Department has been called on to advocate for Álvarez’s release, but the department has not commented on the congressional correspondence.
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