The United Nations human rights office issued a sharp rebuke this week condemning Nicaragua for the “forced disappearance” of Catholic Bishop Isidoro Mora, as arrests of religious figures surge.
Mora vanished eight days ago with no word on his location, the UN body revealed on Thursday. It accused Nicaraguan authorities of “violating the right to religious freedom, a pillar of any democratic State” through systematic intimidation tactics.
President Daniel Ortega has increasingly targeted the Catholic clergy through wrongful detentions and imprisonment amid worsening tensions with the church. Earlier this year, the government sentenced popular Bishop Rolando Alvarez to 26 years in prison on disputed treason changes.
Mora publicly supported Alvarez, who himself drew the ire of the regime by sheltering student protesters at churches during the 2018 anti-government demonstrations. After the mass arrests, the Vatican negotiated the release of 12 indicted priests who were promptly exiled to Rome in October.
Yet hostility persists as the Catholic institution remains one of the last strongholds actively challenging Ortega’s authoritarian grip after shuttering civil society. Religious officials allege ongoing harassment through legal intimidation, surveillance and now forced disappearances aimed at the clergy.
The UN statement connects Mora to nearly 190 arbitrary detentions enacted against critics, clergy, journalists and activists in 2022 alone, characterized as politically motivated. With tensions escalating, the Vatican felt forced to close its Nicaraguan embassy in March after the Pope labeled the country a “dictatorship”.
As condemnation by international bodies piles up, Ortega continues resisting calls for reform and dialogue. With presidential elections slated for 2026 and the possibility of a fifth term on the table, observers fear conditions could worsen with opposition leaders already jailed or suppressed.
The UN rights office said persecution through coercion and repressive laws goes against foundational democratic principles. It demanded urgent transparency regarding missing bishop Mora’s status and safety. Until restraint is shown, relations seem likely to further deteriorate both within Nicaragua and abroad.
