Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri is pushing the Department of State to pursue the release of Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who was imprisoned by the Ortega regime in Nicaragua.
A U.S. senator is pushing the Department of State to release information on an imprisoned foreign bishop who refused to be sent to the U.S. after being arrested by his communist government. Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri published a letter to the Department of State on Wednesday, demanding information on the continued persecution of Christians under the communist regime of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua.
The bishop was originally placed under de facto house arrest in 2022 after he spoke out against the Ortega regime for its human rights violations and closure of several important Catholic radio stations. Among other charges, Alvarez was also convicted of undermining national integrity and spreading false news, the outlet reported.
As the regime of dictator Ortega takes increasingly brazen efforts to stifle religious freedom, I urge you and the Biden Administration to prioritize diplomatic efforts to halt the persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua,' wrote Schmitt.
Last month, the Nicaraguan government released 12 Catholic priests held on a variety of charges to the custody of the Holy See. Ortega said the priests were flown to Rome following productive talks with the Vatican. Álvarez was not among the names of the priests listed. The State Department has until Jan. 10, 2024, to answer Schmitt's requests. Fox News Digital's Jon Brown and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
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