Religious Persecution in Nicaragua: How Faith Became a Target of State Control

Last updated: 5 October 2026

Photo: Nicaragua - Jakob Christensen

Since 2018, Nicaragua religious persecution has become one of the most alarming human rights crises in Latin America. The government of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo has turned against the Catholic Church and other faith communities with increasing force. What began as political tension after the 2018 protests has grown into a full campaign of state control over religious life. For expert witnesses and asylum decision-makers, understanding this persecution is essential when assessing claims from Nicaraguan nationals.

This article examines the background of Nicaragua religious persecution, the targeting of Catholic clergy and institutions, the impact on evangelical communities, and the implications for asylum seekers. The evidence draws on reports from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the United Nations, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and leading human rights organisations.[1]

Background: A Catholic Country Turns on Its Church

Nicaragua is one of the most Catholic countries in Central America. Around 50% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, and another 35% belongs to evangelical Protestant churches. For decades, the Catholic Church played an important role in Nicaraguan society. It provided education, healthcare, and social services in areas where the state was absent. Priests and bishops were trusted community leaders.

In April 2018, large protests erupted across Nicaragua. People were angry about planned changes to the social security system. The government responded with extreme violence. Security forces and pro-government armed groups killed more than 300 people in just a few months.[2] During this crisis, the Catholic Church tried to help. Bishops offered to mediate between the government and protesters. Churches opened their doors to give shelter to wounded and fleeing people.

However, the Ortega-Murillo government saw this as a betrayal. In their view, the Church had taken the side of the opposition. From that moment, the government began to treat the Catholic Church as an enemy. What followed was a systematic campaign to silence, punish, and control religious institutions across the country. This shift marked the start of Nicaragua religious persecution on a scale not seen in Latin America for decades.[3]

The Targeting of the Catholic Church

The government's campaign against the Catholic Church has taken many forms. These include raids on churches and church property, arrests of clergy, expulsion of religious orders, and the closure of church-linked organisations. The pattern is clear: the state has tried to break the Church's independence and its ability to speak out.

The Case of Bishop Rolando Alvarez

The most well-known case of Nicaragua religious persecution involves Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa. In August 2022, police surrounded his residence and placed him under house arrest. He was accused of "conspiracy to undermine national integrity." In reality, Bishop Alvarez had spoken publicly against the government's actions and supported peaceful protests.[4]

In February 2023, the Nicaraguan government released 222 political prisoners and sent them to the United States. Bishop Alvarez refused to leave. He said he would not abandon his people. In response, a court sentenced him to 26 years and 4 months in prison. This was the harshest sentence given to any political prisoner in Nicaragua. He was also stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship. In January 2024, the government finally exiled him to the Vatican, along with other detained clergy.[5]

Expulsion of Religious Orders and Organisations

In 2022, the government expelled the Missionaries of Charity. This is the order founded by Mother Teresa. The nuns had worked in Nicaragua for decades, running homes for the elderly and sick. The government gave no valid reason for their removal. It simply cancelled their legal registration.[6]

In 2023, the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus) were dissolved by government decree. Their university, the University of Central America (UCA), was seized by the state. This was one of the most respected universities in Nicaragua. The government also expelled the papal nuncio (the Vatican's ambassador) in March 2022. This was a highly unusual diplomatic step that showed the depth of the conflict between the Ortega government and the Holy See.[7]

Key Religious Incidents and Government Actions

The following table provides a timeline of the most important incidents in the government's campaign against religious institutions. Each event represents a further step in the escalation of Nicaragua religious persecution.

Nicaragua Religious Persecution Beyond the Catholic Church

While the Catholic Church has faced the most visible attacks, evangelical Christians have not been spared. Evangelical pastors who supported the 2018 protests or who criticised the government have also faced harassment and detention. In several cases, evangelical churches have been shut down or had their legal status revoked.[8]

The scale of persecution against evangelical communities is smaller than against Catholics. However, the pattern is the same. Any religious leader who speaks against the government or supports civil society becomes a target. Furthermore, the government has used its control over NGO registration to shut down faith-based charities and social programmes run by Protestant churches. This has a direct impact on communities that depend on these services.

Additionally, Caritas Nicaragua, the Catholic Church's main charity, was dissolved by the government. Other faith-based organisations that provided education, food aid, and healthcare have suffered the same fate. By 2024, the government had closed more than 5,000 NGOs in total, and a significant number of these were religious organisations.[9]

Banning of Religious Processions and Public Worship

In a deeply Catholic country, public religious processions are an important part of cultural and spiritual life. However, the Ortega-Murillo government has increasingly restricted these events. Since late 2023, authorities in several dioceses have banned or limited traditional processions. The government claims these restrictions are for "public order" reasons. In reality, they are designed to prevent any large public gathering that the Church might organise.[10]

Easter processions, which are deeply significant in Nicaraguan culture, have been particularly affected. Police have been deployed to prevent some processions from taking place. In other cases, church leaders have cancelled events themselves, fearing violence from pro-government groups. This interference with religious worship represents a clear violation of the right to freedom of religion under international law.

The Nicaraguan government has engaged in a systematic pattern of persecution against the Catholic Church and its clergy. The closure of religious institutions, the imprisonment and exile of bishops and priests, and the restrictions on religious practice represent serious violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief.

-- Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Annual Report on Nicaragua, 2024

Religious Freedom Rankings and International Response

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has designated Nicaragua as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC). This is the most serious designation. It means the US government considers Nicaragua to be engaged in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. Only a small number of countries receive this designation, and Nicaragua now stands alongside nations like North Korea, China, and Eritrea.[11]

The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief has also expressed serious concern about conditions in Nicaragua. In addition, the European Parliament has passed resolutions condemning the persecution of the Catholic Church in the country. Despite this international attention, the Ortega-Murillo government has not changed its behaviour. Instead, it has intensified its campaign against religious institutions. For a deeper understanding of Nicaragua's broader human rights situation, these religious freedom violations must be seen as part of a wider pattern of authoritarian control.

No State Protection: The State as Persecutor

A key factor for asylum claims is whether the person's home country can protect them. In Nicaragua, the state itself is the persecutor. The police, courts, and security forces all act under the control of the ruling FSLN party (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional). There is no independent judiciary that could protect a religious leader or ordinary believer who faces persecution.[12]

Courts in Nicaragua follow the instructions of the executive branch. Judges who have shown independence have been removed. Therefore, a person who faces religious persecution in Nicaragua cannot seek protection from the police or the courts. This is an important point for country reports and asylum assessments. The absence of state protection is a core element that strengthens any claim based on religious persecution.

Implications for Asylum Claims

Nicaragua religious persecution creates strong grounds for asylum under the 1951 Refugee Convention. Two Convention grounds are particularly relevant: religion and political opinion. In many cases, both grounds apply at the same time. This is because the government treats religious practice as political opposition.[13]

Clergy who have spoken against the government, church workers who helped protesters, and ordinary believers who participated in church-organised activities may all face persecution. The risk is not limited to high-profile cases like Bishop Alvarez. Parish priests, catechists (people who teach the faith), and community volunteers connected to churches have also been targeted.

For asylum decision-makers, the evidence shows that Nicaragua religious persecution is systematic and state-directed. An expert witness can help explain how religious identity and political opinion overlap in the Nicaraguan context. The asylum guide section of this website provides further information on how to present claims involving mixed Convention grounds.

It is also worth noting that Nicaraguans who have fled to countries like Costa Rica or the United States may still face risks. The Nicaraguan government has stripped citizenship from hundreds of exiles. This includes clergy who were forced to leave. Statelessness creates additional legal challenges that decision-makers must consider.

Conclusion

Nicaragua religious persecution under the Ortega-Murillo government represents one of the most severe attacks on religious freedom in the Western Hemisphere. The Catholic Church, which once served as a trusted mediator and social safety net, has been treated as an enemy of the state. Bishops have been imprisoned, religious orders expelled, universities seized, and faith-based charities dissolved. Evangelical communities have also been targeted when their leaders spoke against the government.

The evidence from the IACHR, USCIRF, and UN bodies confirms that these violations are systematic, ongoing, and directed by the state. There is no prospect of state protection, and internal relocation offers no safety. For asylum seekers from Nicaragua who face persecution because of their faith or their connection to religious institutions, the grounds for international protection are strong. Decision-makers and expert witnesses must treat these claims with the seriousness that the evidence demands.