Rome (EFE).- Brazilian President Lula Da Silva assured today in Rome that, after meeting with Pope Francis, he will try to convince his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, to release Bishop Rolando Álvarez, sentenced to 26 years prison for refusing to leave the country for the United States.
In a press conference at the end of his visit to Italy and the Vatican, Lula explained that the only thing the Catholic Church in Nicaragua wants is for Bishop Álvarez to be released so that he can travel to Italy and considered that his imprisonment has been “a mistake.” from Ortega.
“I will speak with Ortega so that they can give him freedom because it is necessary to learn to ask for forgiveness (…) and recognize this mistake,” said Lula, who met this Wednesday with Pope Francis for 45 minutes in the Vatican.
Lula assured that it will be “a job of patience” but that he has a lot of patience and will try to achieve it.
Bishop Álvarez sentenced to 26 years in prison
The Ortega government released and expelled 222 political prisoners from the country, who were transferred to Washington on a plane chartered by the US government, but two prisoners refused to leave the country, including the bishop, who was sentenced to 26 prison terms as a result. years in prison, stripped of his citizenship and transferred from his house arrest to jail.
In addition, Ortega has declared bilateral relations with the Vatican interrupted after having expelled the nuncio (Vatican ambassador), Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag) and the country no longer has an ambassador to the Holy See since September 21, 2021, when Ortega canceled the appointment of Elliette Ortega Sotomayor.
Likewise, the Nicaraguan president described the Church as a “mafia” and accused it of being undemocratic for not allowing Catholics to elect the pope, cardinals, bishops and priests by direct vote.