Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Protestant Pastor Freed After Six Months in Nicaraguan Detention
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
MANAGUA (Worthy News) – A Protestant pastor held in incommunicado detention for almost six months in Nicaragua has been released, Christians confirmed Thursday.
Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas was reportedly detained on July 17, 2025, in Jinotepe, in the Carazo Department, as part of a coordinated series of operations conducted by official police and masked “volunteers.”
Others arrested in the operation included his sister, Jéssica Palacios Vargas, his two brothers-in-law, Pedro José López and Armando José Bermúdez Mojica, and his friend and political activist Mauricio Alonso Petri, according to sources familiar with the situation.
FAMILY AND ASSOCIATES ARRESTED
Petri’s son, Mauricio Alonso Estrada, who is also a member of the worship team at Pastor Vargas’ church, was also arrested, as was Vargas family friend Olga María Lara Rojas, Christians said.
The Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners in Nicaragua said Pastor Vargas, his family members, and Mauricio Alonso Estrada were among a group of 20 political prisoners released from their current form of detention on January 10.
However, Pastor Vargas, his sister, and Armando José Bermúdez Mojica are now under house arrest, Christians said. Their movements are reportedly restricted, and they live under surveillance.
SOME UNDER “PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES”
Elsewhere, Olga María Lara Rojas, Mauricio Alonso Estrada, and Pedro José López have been released under so-called “precautionary measures.” While free, they are required to report regularly to their local police stations.
“Tragically, Mauricio Alonso Petri died while still in detention in August,” Christians said. Anna Lee Stangl, director of advocacy and Americas team leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said.
“While we are grateful that these individuals will be reunited with some of their loved ones after nearly six months in incommunicado detention, neither Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas nor his friends and family members should be under house arrest or subjected to ‘precautionary measures,” the group added.
CSW URGES FULL FREEDOM
Their release, CSW warned, “does not undo the injustice committed against them. We call on the government of Nicaragua to grant them their full freedom without condition, and to immediately release all remaining political prisoners, including Pastor Efrén Antonio Vílchez López.”
CSW added it is calling on the international community to maintain pressure on the Ortega-Murillo regime to ensure human rights are upheld and that abuses do not go unpunished.
Pastor Efrén Antonio Vílchez López has been imprisoned since May 2022 for denouncing government violence against protesters in 2018. He is serving a 23-year sentence on what CSW describes as false charges.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Eight prominent Muslim-majority countries announced their decision this week to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, a move framed by its supporters as a step toward stability — but viewed in Israel with deep skepticism given past regional failures in Gaza.
Nigerian police have confirmed that a large group of Christian worshippers were kidnapped by suspected Muslim gunmen from three churches in a remote area of Nigeria’s northern Kaduna State, reversing an earlier denial that authorities said had been “widely misinterpreted.”
President Donald Trump called off tariffs on U.S. allies opposed to his plans to annex Greenland after announcing a tentative deal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for a future deal on Greenland.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join the newly proposed Board of Peace, his office confirmed Wednesday, as a growing number of European governments signaled they will not participate in the initiative.
President Donald Trump said the United States is pursuing negotiations to acquire Greenland while ruling out the use of military force, framing the controversial proposal as a necessary security measure rather than an economic or mineral-driven ambition.
Gold prices surged to a record high on Wednesday as investors sought safety the deepest crisis in the transatlantic alliance in decades with U.S. President Donald J. Trump saying Europe “is not heading in the right direction.”
U.S. President Donald J. Trump marked one year since returning to the White House with a wide-ranging and often confrontational press conference, defending his record while renewing criticism of political opponents, major media outlets, and several U.S. allies.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com