The government of Nicaragua has banned the ordination of new Catholic priests and deacons in several dioceses, a move that church leaders say intensifies pressure on religious communities in the country.

This was reported by Christiandaily.
This administrative and police restriction represents a direct blow to the structure of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, preventing young people who have completed theological education from formally serving their communities.

The persecution is not limited to Catholicism. The evangelical community in Nicaragua has also faced unprecedented pressure under the administration of Daniel Ortega and his wife, co president Rosario Murillo. In recent years the Ministry of the Interior of Nicaragua has stripped more than 1,500 non profit organizations of their legal status, most of which were evangelical churches and missions, confiscating their assets and property in favor of the state over alleged administrative violations.

Experts on human rights and freedom of religion describe the situation as critical.

Critics argue that the tightening of state policy is aimed at “eradicating the spiritual influence of Christian churches in favor of a political ideology that promotes the cult of the Sandinista regime.”