The head of Nicaragua’s Catholic Conference has been expelled from the country.  

Bishop Carlos Herrera has sought refuge in Guatemala, which confirmed to Reuters that he had entered its territory.  

Martha Molina, a lawyer with close ties to Nicaragua's Catholic leadership, told Reuters: "This has shocked us very much." She explained that Bishop Herrera was expelled after he complained about disruptions to his Mass caused by individuals linked to the mayor’s office in north-central Jinotega.  

Bishop Herrera is the latest religious leader to be expelled as part of the Nicaraguan government’s ongoing crackdown on the Catholic Church. President Daniel Ortega’s campaign against the Church and civil society has intensified since the 2018 protests, during which many bishops acted as mediators between the state and its critics.  

Ortega’s government, which accuses the Church of supporting the opposition, has since expelled several clergymen, shut down Catholic media outlets, and seized a prominent Jesuit-run university in the capital, Managua.  

The crackdown on clergy has drawn international attention, particularly after the imprisonment of Bishop Rolando Álvarez, a vocal critic of the government. Bishop Álvarez was detained for over 500 days and sentenced to 26 years in prison on charges of conspiracy and spreading false information. In January this year, he was exiled to Rome alongside several other clerics.