On Sat., Catholics in Nicaragua congregated to celebrate a large-scale mass in the nation's capital, Managua, after the government banned a religious procession meant to mark the closing of the national Marian Congress.
A heavy police presence oversaw hundreds of believers peacefully making their way to the cathedral Our Lady of Fatima as encouraged by Church leaders.
The targeting of religious groups is only a small part of Ortega's dictatorial silencing of political dissidents. Since 2007, a climate has been fostered that has seen authorities grow even more corrupt, democratic protests quashed, and journalists flee the country, even leaving their families behind. No one can talk openly about the government's oppression of civilians under Ortega.
Western media and governments are quick to criticize developments in Nicaragua, but it shouldn't be forgotten that liberal democracies often ignore their own values when conducting foreign policy. Though US opinion can homogeneously denounce Ortega's regime, human rights violations in Guantanamo Bay are more difficult to critique freely. This double standard shouldn't go unchecked.