The government of Nicaragua, under the leadership of President Daniel Ortega, has a history of persecuting Catholic clergy, worshipers, and organizations as well as Protestant institutions especially since religious leaders provided sanctuary and support to civic protesters in 2018. The runup to Nicaragua’s general elections in November 2021 provided yet another backdrop for religious freedom violations committed by the government.

The State Department has placed Nicaragua on its Special Watch List of severe religious freedom violators since 2019, which USCIRF has also recommended and highlighted in its 2021 Annual Report (also available in Spanish).

Christopher Ljungquist, Adviser for Latin America in the Office of International Justice and Peace at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, joins us today to discuss religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.