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| Jesuits condemn seizure of priests’ residence in Mangua |
Jesuit communities around the world are uniting in condemnation of the recent actions undertaken by the Nicaraguan government, which resulted in the forced eviction of a community of priests belonging to the Company of Jesus from their private residence in the capital city of Managua on August 19th.
The Central America Conference of Provincials of the Company of Jesus released an official statement on the same day, strongly denouncing the government's actions. According to the statement, the religious order's members in Managua were forcibly removed from their residence, known as Villa Carmen, which is situated in close proximity to the Central America University. This institution had been taken over by the government earlier in the month of August.
Reports confirm that the six Jesuit priests residing within the property are currently safe and have found alternative accommodations for the time being. The incident has provoked a global response from various Jesuit organizations and religious bodies.
In an equally firm statement issued on August 19th, the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States expressed their deep concern and distress over the events that transpired. They characterized the government's accusations against the university and the Jesuit order as both "unjust" and "false." The Nicaraguan government had accused them of being terrorists, a claim that the Jesuit Conference vehemently refutes.
This incident is just the latest in a series of alarming actions taken by the government that undermine truth and human rights in the country, according to the Central American conference's press release. Despite the Jesuit order's efforts to clarify that the Villa del Carmen residence was a distinct entity from the university and was in fact privately owned by the Jesuits, the state police ordered their departure, ignoring the presented documentation.
Meanwhile, in a separate gathering held in Guatemala City, members of the Confederation of Latin American and Caribbean Religious came together for a seminar focused on combatting human trafficking from August 18th to 20th. During this event, attendees have dedicated their daily prayers to the Jesuit priests affected by the recent eviction, as well as to other members of Catholic religious communities in Nicaragua.
The situation holds particular significance for those attending the seminar, as some of the participating religious communities have themselves faced expulsion from Nicaragua. Several women religious communities, encompassing at least four groups, have been ousted from the country, and their properties have been confiscated by the government. This upheaval has left their charitable work among the impoverished in a state of limbo.
As international attention turns towards Nicaragua's actions against the Jesuit community and other religious groups, advocates for justice, religious freedom, and human rights continue to rally in support of those who have been unjustly targeted.
