Nicaragua Shuts Down Catholic Radio Amid Political Turmoil

Nicaragua's government has closed and seized the assets of Radio Maria, a Catholic Church-controlled station formerly headed by Bishop Rolando Alvarez, an exiled government critic. Authorities cited non-compliance with financial reporting and expired board terms. This move follows the 2018 mass protests where clerics served as mediators.

In a decisive move, Nicaragua's government has ordered the closure and seizure of Radio Maria, a Catholic Church-controlled station once run by Bishop Rolando Alvarez. Alvarez, now in exile at the Vatican, had been a vocal government critic.

This closure is part of a broader trend where the Nicaraguan authorities have been targeting Catholic Church assets. The closure decree, published on Tuesday, cited the radio station's failure to submit financial reports from 2019-2023 and mentioned that its board of directors had an expired tenure since September 2021.

Bishop Alvarez had sharply criticized the government's violent crackdown on the 2018 mass protests. His outspokenness led to a treason conviction and a 26-year prison sentence before he was expelled to the Vatican. The Catholic bishops' response to this recent development remains awaited.

(With inputs from agencies.)