Nicaragua. Bishop Báez: “Pope Leo XIV's closeness and compassion are a beacon of hope for the Church in our country”

“This is the first interview I have given in nearly three years. Bishop Silvio José Báez was the first bishop to be forced to leave Nicaragua at the request of Pope Francis in 2019, having received threats to his life for standing up for his people ever since the 2018 protests. The Ortega-Murillo regime violently suppressed the protests, and its crackdown on the Catholic Church and its institutions began soon after.  Following him, Msgr. Rolando José Álvarez, bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí, was also compelled to flee the country after an extended period of incarceration, as were Msgr. Isidoro Mora, bishop of Siuna, and Msgr. Carlos Herrera, bishop of Jinotega and president of the Episcopal Conference.

A total of 302 Catholic leaders have been forced into exile, expelled, or prevented from carrying out their pastoral ministry. Those affected include four bishops from Nicaraguan dioceses, the apostolic nuncio, 149 priests, three deacons, 13 seminarians, and 132 members of religious orders.

The data can be found in the recent report titled “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church”, drawn up by lawyer and activist Martha Patricia Molina. Molina recorded 1,010 direct attacks, the expulsion of 302 religious leaders, the seizure of at least 36 properties, and the banning of 16,564 processions since April 2018.  The situation persists despite the number of such incidents declining in recent months. This is not due to a change in attitude, but rather to the fact that there is hardly anything left in the country to “shut down” or “expropriate”.

Monsignor Báez is a prominent biblical scholar, well-versed with the theme of silence in the Bible, inter alia. But he is equally knowledgeable in the value of prophetic denunciation. The dramatic situation in his country in recent years has caused him to alternate between remaining silent and speaking out. A few days after his audience with Pope Leo XIV, together with Bishops Mora and Herrera, he generously agreed to answer questions from SIR — which he thanked along with the Italian Church,for their constant support of the Nicaraguan people and the Church of Nicaragua.

You had the opportunity to meet Pope Leo in person. What was your impression, both personally and in terms of its significance for your country?

It was a deeply encouraging meeting.

Pope Leo XIV is a warm, kind and wise man. I was touched by his concern for Nicaragua, particularly for the difficult situation faced by the local population. His empathy and compassion provide great comfort and hope to the Church in our country during this challenging period.

The Pope has confirmed your appointment as auxiliary bishop of Managua. What does serving in this capacity from a distance mean to you?

Being confirmed as auxiliary bishop of Managua is a sign of trust in me and my ministry, and I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father for this. I humbly accept this confirmation of my episcopal ministry, with a sense of great responsibility, to accompany — as a pastor — both Nicaraguans in exile and those in Nicaragua. Although being physically distant from my country presents a challenge to my pastoral creativity, it does not prevent me from accompanying my people according to the Gospel.
Distance does not necessarily mean absence. I firmly believe that we are where your heart is, not where our feet are.
At this time, how are you living out your dedication to your Church and your people?

My dedication to my Church and my people is expressed through deep commitment and love. Prayer is at the forefront of this, through which I entrust Nicaragua to God's care every day.

During my years in exile, the Lord presented me with various pastoral avenues through which I could continue carrying out my episcopal ministry, including offering spiritual accompaniment to numerous priests and laypeople in exile, visiting dioceses in the United States to meet Nicaraguans, holding regular virtual meetings with Nicaraguan priests in exile, and celebrating Sunday Mass at St Agatha's parish in Miami, which was broadcast on social media.

What does it mean to be witnesses of hope for you Nicaraguans in this Jubilee Year?

In this Jubilee Year, being witnesses of hope means proclaiming that
Even in the darkest night, God walks with us.
Christian hope is not baseless optimism. For us, being witnesses of hope means, above all, to live through the most trying times, when it becomes impossible to comprehend God's will, without ever doubting His care and mercy, as Pope Francis wrote in his Letter to Nicaragua on 2 December 2024.

For us Nicaraguans, hope also means striving, with God's grace, to establish channels and avenues for dialogue, freedom and fraternity, in anticipation of the society we all dream of, which we will one day succeed in creating.

How important is the support of the international community? In particular, the support of the Italian Church and its media outlets, such as SIR?

Every gesture of international solidarity, every prayer for our people, and every embrace received from afar strengthens our hope that we, the Nicaraguan people, can change the current situation in our country and create a better future. We dream of a country where, by renouncing self-serving social agendas, everyone can share resources and opportunities in peace and justice, without fear of exclusion or mistreatment because of their beliefs.
International support is key
to achieving this goal.

The solidarity of the Church in Italy, a country I love dearly, where I spent twenty years of my life, and of communication media such as SIR, encourages us in our struggle to build a different country, because it shows us that we are not alone. This solidarity is a testament to the Body of Christ and paves the way for the Kingdom of God.

I call on the Church in Italy and supportive media outlets such as SIR not to forget our small country, Nicaragua. We need you to pray for us and welcome Nicaraguan exiles fleeing the country. We also need you to raise awareness of the violence suffered by our people and the persecution endured by our Church.Bruno Desidera