Protest in opposition to the detention of Nicaraguan bishop and regime critic Bishop Rolando Alvarez.

EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

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EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

Protest in opposition to the detention of Nicaraguan bishop and regime critic Bishop Rolando Alvarez.

EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

MEXICO CITY — A day after banishing most of its political prisoners to the USA, Nicaragua has sentenced a Catholic bishop to 26 years in jail.

Bishop Rolando Álvarez refused to depart with the remainder of the 222 political prisoners flown to the U.S. on Thursday.

In accordance with media experiences, he stopped on the stairs resulting in the airplane and stated, “Let the others be free. I’ll endure their punishment.”

Álvarez was arrested for opposing the federal government of President Daniel Ortega and his trial was set for subsequent week. The bishop has referred to as at no cost elections.

As a substitute, a decide appeared on state tv and stated the priest had been declared a traitor, and sentenced to 26 years in jail. He was additionally stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship.

Álvarez was greatest identified for confronting safety forces that surrounded his parish within the city of Matagalpa. “Frightened and on my knees, solely earlier than God,” he instructed them.

This story initially appeared in NPR’s Newscast.