On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the government of Nicaragua decreed the closure of Radio Maria and the seizure of its assets.
This Catholic radio station was previously directed by Bishop Rolando Alvarez, a noted critic of the current regime, who is now exiled in the Vatican.
Radio Maria represented one of the last media outlets in Nicaragua still under the auspices of the Catholic Church. This decision occurs within a context of growing tensions between the government and the Church, which has seen many of its assets confiscated since the clergy's involvement as mediators during the 2018 protests. The Ministry of the Interior justified this closure in a resolution published in the official gazette.
Radio Maria is accused of "non-compliance" for not having presented its financial statements from 2019 to 2023. Furthermore, authorities assert that the radio's board of directors has been "expired since September 2021."
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This measure takes place within the framework of a broader crackdown targeting NGOs and civil associations in Nicaragua. Since 2018, the government has closed approximately 3,600 organizations, often citing similar administrative grounds. It is important to note that Bishop Alvarez, former director of Radio Maria and Bishop of Matagalpa, was sentenced last year to 26 years in prison for treason, following his vehement criticisms of the government's repression of the 2018 protests.
He was subsequently expelled to the Vatican. This closure of Radio Maria raises new concerns regarding freedom of expression and religious freedom in Nicaragua. It also testifies to the continuing deterioration of relations between the Catholic Church and the government of President Daniel Ortega.