An American Church Thrived in Nicaragua. Then Its Pastors Went to Prison.The New York Times, By Frances Robles, on Sept. 5, 2024

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/american-pastors-nicaragua-money-laundering.html 

Nicaragua has increasingly slipped towards authoritarian rule under President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, who have maintained control over the government for decades. Their regime has taken a firm stance against organizations that challenge their authority, particularly religious and nonprofit groups. Recently, the government revoked the tax-exempt status of nonprofits, including churches, under the guise of combating money laundering. This led to a wave of arrests and the prosecution of numerous religious leaders and organizations, among them the Hancock family and their Mountain Gateway Church.

Mountain Gateway Church, an evangelical institution run by the Hancocks from Texas, was operating across multiple rural towns in Nicaragua. The church’s business dealings, which included running a coffee company, were suddenly targeted by the government following the new laws. Though the church claimed they had always been transparent and compliant, Ortega’s regime accused them of money laundering and placed heavy fines on their leaders, with some church members receiving long prison sentences. The Hancocks, being out of the country at the time, were fined $80 million, and their return to Nicaragua seems unlikely as long as the current regime remains in power.

The situation in Nicaragua is complex. On one hand, there are longstanding grievances between the Catholic Church and the Ortega government, which has jailed Catholic leaders under similar accusations of financial misconduct. On the other hand, Mountain Gateway was initially allowed to operate freely, leading some to suspect that the government was using the church for political gain, only to turn on them when their influence grew too large. Some argue the church’s operations resembled those of a mega-church, exploiting Nicaragua’s people and resources under the guise of religion, while others suggest the government’s crackdown is part of a broader strategy to eliminate any group that threatens its control.

In the broader context, this situation reflects a power struggle over the hearts and minds of Nicaraguans, with the government aiming to suppress religious influence and protestant churches rising in prominence while Catholicism declines. The role of the U.S. in this affair is also worth noting, as Mountain Gateway’s involvement ultimately led to a prisoner swap with Nicaragua, raising questions about the influence of American interests and politics in the region. 

The church’s ties to U.S. politicians may have played a part in the State Department’s intervention, further complicating the already murky narrative of whether the church was an innocent victim or a party to the regime’s power games.

The Non-Prophets, Episode 23.38.1 featuring Jimmy Jr., Kelley, and Jonathan Roudabush.

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