Nicaraguan Catholics plan Holy Week celebrations despite ban 

Nicaraguan Catholics plan to carry out this year’s Holy Week celebrations and processions behind closed doors despite a ban instituted by the communist regime of President Daniel Ortega. 

Ortega’s regime banned Holy Week processions this year due to unspecified security concerns. However, many devout Catholics plan to continue Easter celebrations by hosting masses and other activities indoors.

"What's most important is to live our faith," said Maria Flores, lamenting that the traditional procession for Easter Sunday will be canceled this year. "I'll still be there inside my church, and I won't leave my priest alone."

The ban comes after Ortega cut ties with the Vatican following Pope Francis’ comments describing the Nicaraguan government as a “crude dictatorship” led by an “unbalanced” president. 

The pope also called for the release of Bishop Rolando Alvarez, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison. According to the Pope, the Nicaraguan Center of Human Rights, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Alvarez has been “unjustly detained” by the regime. 

“I don't believe in popes or kings: who chooses the Pope? If we want to talk about democracy, the people should first elect priests and the bishops”, and “even the Pope” should be “elected by direct vote and not by the organized mafia in the Vatican," Ortega said on Feb. 21, during his speech to the nation.

According to an exiled Nicaraguan political analyst, Eliseo Nuñez, the government is banning Easter celebrations to prevent any possible unrest. "They live in fear and that's why they impose this terror," he said.

The relationship between Ortega’s regime and the Catholic church has deteriorated since 2018, after the Nicaraguan government violently cracked down on anti-government protests, leaving more than 355 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.

During that time, the church offered shelter to many fleeing the crackdown and then sought to work as an intermediary between the regime and the opposition. According to Ortega, however, the church was trying to implement a coup. 

Since then, Ortega has systematically expelled several nuns and missionaries from the country and has closed down countless Catholic radio and television stations, as well as charities and other civil groups.