Authorities in Nicaragua have jailed 9 pastors for greater than a month on costs that they have been a part of a prison operation together with three American missionaries, a mission group says.
Nicaragua's lawyer common's workplace has accused three American missionaries from Mountain Gateway, Texas, and 11 Nicaraguans of being a part of a “prison construction” concerned in cash laundering and arranged crime, and has reportedly issued warrants for his or her arrest.
“Mountain Gateway want to publicly state that it denies these allegations and is saddened by this case,” the group mentioned in an announcement. “These allegations are primarily based on misinformation and Mountain Gateway will do every little thing in its energy to resolve this via diplomatic channels.”
Mountain Gateway, which operates within the Central American nation as Puerta de la Montaña, mentioned prosecutors imagine the Nicaraguan pastors have been led by a mission group of Jon Britton Hancock, Jacob Britton Hancock and Cassandra Mae Hancock, all US residents, and Nicaraguan Walner Omier. Blandón Ochoa and Maricela de Fátima Mejía Ruiz.
“Whereas the Nicaraguan authorities claims that [Nicaraguan] the pastors are harmless, the pastors have been imprisoned for over a month with out authorized illustration or contact with their households,” Mountain Gateway reported. He additionally added that the federal government has since “approved the appointment of a lawyer to characterize the Nicaraguan pastors of Mountain Gateway, however haven’t supplied their authorized counsel paperwork on the costs or any recordsdata to organize the protection.”
Mountain Gateway mentioned it has diligently complied with all authorized necessities within the US and Nicaragua and has documentation displaying that the Nicaraguan authorities accredited all funds getting into the nation and ensured they have been used appropriately.
“Nicaragua has deregistered a whole bunch of non-profit and faith-based organizations previously 5 years, together with most not too long ago by expelling many members of the Catholic Church and confiscating church property,” the group mentioned. “In these circumstances, the federal government typically cites cash laundering costs or different monetary costs as the explanation for the dismissal.”
Mountain Gateway held eight main evangelistic occasions in Nicaragua final yr below strict inside workers accounting and finances management by the Nicaraguan authorities, the group mentioned.
“No members of Mountain Gateway personally benefited from funds despatched to Nicaragua for ministerial features,” it mentioned.
On December 22, the mission group introduced that the Nicaraguan authorities had revoked its registration as a ministry within the nation.
Nicaragua closed, confiscated or destroyed 347 Christian buildings from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023, the fourth highest on this planet behind China, India and Nigeria, based on Open Doorways' Open Doorways 2024 World Watch Record (WWL). the nation the place it’s most tough to be a Christian. Nicaraguan authorities detained 38 Christians throughout that interval, based on a WWL report.
The federal government's open hostility to Christians throughout this era noticed Nicaragua transfer from fiftieth the earlier yr to thirtieth among the many 50 international locations with the worst persecution of Christians. The WWL report additionally cited Nicaraguan legislative restrictions on spiritual freedom and the arrest or exile of non secular leaders.
Mountain Gateway mentioned in a press assertion that its American pastors “don’t have anything to cover and have requested the appointment of an lawyer to characterize them on this authorized course of.”
“Mountain Gateway doesn’t perceive why that is taking place in a rustic it loves dearly and works tirelessly to uphold authorities laws and legal guidelines,” the group mentioned. “Whereas Mountain Gateway's lawyer and authorized group are advising Mountain Gateway to belief the authorized system, they’ve questions. It seems this can be extra politically motivated than legally motivated.”
9 Nicaraguan Mountain Gateway pastors have been jailed: Marcos Sergio Hernandez Giron; Harry Lening Rios Bravo; Manuel of Jesus Rivers Flowers; José Luis Orozco Urrutia; Alvaro Daniel Escobar Boiler; John Carlos Chavarria Shoe; John Louis Moncada; Orvin Alexis Moncade Spanish; Cesar Facundo Burgalin Miranda.
The AP reported that the prosecutor's workplace mentioned in a press assertion that 11 Nicaraguans have been charged, together with Puerta de la Montaña's lawyer and monetary supervisor. Prosecutors claimed {that a} detailed money-laundering investigation confirmed that 13 nationals have been allegedly concerned in performing as brokers within the buy of actual property.
Daniel Ortega's authorities has closed or dissolved 342 spiritual organizations, together with 256 evangelical Christian associations, 43 Catholic and 43 belonging to different church buildings, based on the AP, citing a December report by the Nicaragua By no means Once more Human Rights Collective. Ortega has been president since 2007 after beforehand main the nation from 1979 to 1990.
The federal government ordered a listening to for Nicaraguan pastors on January 26.
Mountain Gateway Order, Inc. primarily based in Dripping Springs, Texas, says on its web site that it focuses on discipling nationwide leaders via home church buildings and company worship and coaching nationwide pastors to succeed in the misplaced of their nation. Mountain Gateway additionally operates a ministry coaching college in the US that teaches believers to take the gospel into any context or tradition.
“Since 2013, Mountain Gateway has served the residents of Nicaragua via discipleship, church planting, feeding and clothes the needy, offering meals, water, tools and restoration help throughout pure disasters, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in mass evangelism campaigns. ” the group mentioned in an announcement.
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