Flash Conversation - Religious Persecution in Nicaragua: Seizure of Jesuit University, Expelling Religious Orders, Incarceration of Clergy
Juan Sebastián Chamorro
Former Pre-Candidate for President of Nicaragua
Kellogg Institute Visiting Fellow
Rachel A. Schwartz
Assistant Professor of International and Area Studies
David L. Boren College of International Studies, University of Oklahoma
Marissa Olivares Morales
Visiting Professor, Seattle University
Moderator:
Aníbal Pérez-Liñán
Director, Kellogg Institute for International Studies
The government of Nicaragua recently declared the Jesuit religious order illegal, confiscating all its property there, including the Jesuit-run University of Central America (UCA), arguing it was a “center of terrorism.” The prestigious university, which was a hub for 2018 protests against the regime of President Daniel Ortega, is just the latest of more than 25 universities in Nicaragua that have been similarly seized since December 2021.
What is the context for this situation? What has happened with UCA and the Jesuit order in the ensuing weeks? What are the consequences for the UCA community, for the Nicaraguan regime, and for the prospects of a return to democracy?
Join us for a discussion about the issues via Zoom. Registration is required to receive the connection details.
Cosponsored by the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion.
Juan Sebastián Chamorro
Juan Sebastián Chamorro is a Nicaraguan economist, businessman, and politician. He was a pre-candidate for president in the 2021 Nicaraguan general election until he was detained in a wave of arrests of opposition candidates and other civic leaders. He was released from prison and banished from Nicaragua in February 2023...