The dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega has found Nicaraguan parish priest Óscar Benavidez guilty of “conspiracy to undermine national security” and “spreading fake news,” with a requested sentence of 8 years in prison.
Father Benavidez, who was “removed from his vehicle and taken by patrol car to an unknown destination” in August 2022, was later known to be incarcerated in the infamous El Chipote prison, where torture is regularly used on critics of the Ortega regime.
The priest was arrested just days before Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa suffered a similar fate together with eight others, including five priests. Bishop Álvarez was finally charged formally in December after months in jail, accused of the identical crimes of “conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the nation” and “spreading false news.”
Benavidez’ diocese of Siuna requested prayers for the priest, whose “sole mission is and has been to announce the good news of Jesus Christ, who is the word of life and salvation for all.”
The trial of the priest was conducted behind closed doors and the presence of relatives during the process was prohibited.
The guilty verdict was handed down by Judge Nancy Aguirre of the Tenth Court of the Criminal Trial District of Managua.