Nicaragua's government described the Vatican as "depraved" and "pedophile" on Sunday, two days after an interview on Catholic television channel EWTN with exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Alvarez, one of the fiercest critics of President Daniel Ortega.
The comments are some of the Ortega government's harshest attacks yet against the Vatican, after it accused Catholic institutions of seeking to undermine the government and expelled nearly 50 priests and nuns.
Analysts say heightened tensions could put additional pressure on Catholic bishops and priests who remain in the Central American country, and limit the possibility of rapprochement with the Holy See.
Nicaragua's Foreign Ministry referred to the highest Catholic institution as the "depraved, pedophile Vatican State," saying it "allies with forces of darkness, barbarism, genocide and evil," adding that it was "very much guilty of crimes against humanity."
Alvarez's television appearance on February 7 was his first interview since being released in January 2024 from more than a year in detention.
He expressed gratitude for his physical and mental recovery and hope for the Nicaraguan people, saying, "In the diaspora, faith always grows, and hope gets stronger."
Alvarez's arrest in 2022 was one of the most high-profile detentions during a crackdown on dissent that stemmed from protests in 2018 that killed more than 350 and sparked international outcry over rights abuses.
In recent months, Pope Francis has asked Catholics to pray for Nicaragua, calling in December for "a path of respectful and constructive dialogue."