Deacon Francisco Alvicio and his congregation faced a challenging decision when their church no longer felt safe in Nicaragua. Concerned for their safety due to surveillance and harassment, they resorted to holding worship services in their homes in secret. Alvicio, a 63-year-old Nicaraguan deacon, expressed his determination to continue practicing his faith, even if it meant worshiping discreetly before ultimately fleeing the country in 2023.

Alvicio is one of many religious leaders in Nicaragua, including Catholic priests and evangelical pastors, who have faced intimidation and imprisonment by the government in recent years. The strained relationship between Nicaraguan religious communities and President Daniel Ortega’s administration began during the crackdown on protests in 2018. Despite attempts at dialogue, tensions escalated as religious leaders were targeted and labeled as supporting opposition efforts against the government.

In northern Nicaragua where Alvicio hails from, the Indigenous Miskito people, who are predominantly evangelical, faced increasing pressure from the government to comply with new regulations on religious practices. The Moravian Church, to which Alvicio belonged, was among the numerous organizations that were shut down by the government, leading to restrictions on their religious freedom.

The situation worsened for religious communities in Nicaragua, with reports of violations in both Catholic and Protestant churches, including restrictions on services, invasion of masked individuals into churches, and confiscation of religious objects. Human rights organizations documented over 870 violations against the Catholic Church and around 100 against Protestants between 2018 and 2024. Additionally, hundreds of churches have been forcibly closed, leading to the displacement of over 200 religious leaders.

American pastor Jon Britton Hancock shared his experience of 11 pastors from his evangelical church being arrested by Ortega’s government in 2023 despite their previous collaborations and operations in Nicaragua. The pastors were later released on humanitarian grounds, leaving Hancock in shock and questioning the motives behind the arrests. He believed that the fundamental message of the Gospel posed a threat to totalitarian ideas, leading to the government’s crackdown on religious communities.

The oppressive measures taken by the Nicaraguan government have forced many religious leaders to flee the country or worship in secret to avoid persecution. The fear of surveillance and intimidation has pushed congregations underground, with pastors and parishioners holding services in hidden locations to continue practicing their faith. Despite the challenges, faith remains strong among those who have been affected, with prayers for justice, peace, and a revival of religious freedom in Nicaragua.