Ortega closes churches, praises China

Written by: Johannes Morken Photo: Shutterstock. First published in Dag og Tid Magazine, 09.06.24. 

Nicaragua’s authoritarian leadership, Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, are intensifying their assault on civil society, targeting institutions that play vital roles in the community. In August, the regime struck again, banning more than 1,650 organizations, many of which are churches, schools, and hospitals tied to religious groups.

With a single signature, the legal status of these organizations vanished, and their properties—buildings, land, and everything inside—were confiscated by the state. 

A staggering third of the shuttered organizations were directly linked to faith-based communities, including Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. For many Nicaraguans, this isn't just a loss of places of worship—families have been stripped of schools, hospitals, and community hubs essential to their daily lives.

The regime's actions have dealt a devastating blow to religious freedom in the country. Ortega has targeted hundreds of religious institutions, not because of criminal activity or misconduct, but because of the faith of those who run them.

Over 5,500 Banned Since 2018  

Since 2018, Ortega’s regime has stripped 5,552 organizations of their legal status. This includes churches that have long-standing roots in Nicaragua, such as the First Baptist Church of Managua, established in 1917. Once a cornerstone of the community, the church operated schools, a theological seminary, a hospital, and a radio station. These vital institutions are no longer tolerated under Ortega’s rule. 

Ortega governs alongside his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and their regime has shown no mercy to those who dissent. The Roman Catholic Church has faced particularly brutal repression. In August 2022, the government launched an assault on church leaders, and courageous figures like Bishop Rolando José Álvarez have paid the price. Bishop Álvarez was expelled from the country on January 14 after enduring a baseless sentence of 26 years in prison for defending those oppressed by the regime.

Dozens of Catholic priests have also been deported, left with no choice but to flee or face decades behind bars in one of Ortega’s prisons.

Praising Dictatorship While Persecuting Faith  

Even as Ortega wages war on faith communities, he heaps praise on another oppressive regime: China. Since 2021, Ortega has strengthened ties with China, embracing its influence in Central America. On July 15, he welcomed a shipment of Chinese buses, praising the authoritarian rule of Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping. 

Xi’s China enforces strict government control over religious communities—Christian, Muslim, Tibetan Buddhist, and more—demanding their submission to the Communist Party or face closure. It's clear why Ortega is drawn to this model of control.

Once hailed as a revolutionary hero, Ortega now aligns himself with dictators who suppress dissent and crush freedom. He may not have the blood of millions on his hands like Mao, but the path he’s walking is unmistakable.

As we witness this unfolding crisis, it is crucial for leaders like Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide to stand in solidarity with the Nicaraguan people. The message must be clear: Ortega’s regime is not about liberation—it’s about oppression. And we, as a global community, must see those who are being persecuted, deported, and robbed of their livelihoods, and let them know they are not forgotten.