9 de May 2025
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U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new pope, taking the name Leo XIV. His election has drawn particular attention due to his closeness to the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, which is being persecuted by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
In 2022, now Pope Leo XIV, then a member of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference, signed a letter calling for justice and democracy in Nicaragua. The letter was addressed to Monsignor Carlos Herrera, president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference, who has since been exiled by the regime.
The letter from the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference reads: “In the midst of the pain and forgiveness that fills the hearts of Nicaraguan Catholics, there is a cry for justice and respect—one that allows them to express their convictions freely, as those who live in a true democracy.”
“Violence has never built anything; it only sows the seeds of poverty and hatred. Violence, especially when unjustified, destroys the harmony, respect, and peace our peoples need to achieve full development and social friendship,” the letter continues.
During their 123rd Plenary Assembly, the bishops of Peru expressed solidarity with the Nicaraguan people, saying they were offering special prayers for “those who have been deprived of their freedom” in Nicaragua.
Just hours after Leo XIV’s inauguration, the Archdiocese of Managua shared a photo showing the new pontiff alongside Nicaraguan Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, highlighting the close relationship between the Catholic leaders.
CEN Prays for Pope Leo XIV
The Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua (CEN) celebrated the election of the new pontiff of the Catholic Church and asked God to grant him a gentle and humble heart.
“We give thanks to God for blessing us with a new shepherd, and we pray that He grants him a gentle and humble heart, like that of Jesus Christ, so he may lead the Church along the paths of the Gospel,” stated the Nicaraguan episcopate.
The Nicaraguan bishops offered Pope Leo XIV their “expressions of communion, respect, and filial obedience to his person and ministry.”
“We entrust him to the loving protection of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, so that during his pontificate he may always strengthen us in faith, guided by the Holy Spirit who makes him a sign and foundation of unity, fraternity, and peace, as he expressed in his first words as Bishop of Rome,” the Episcopal Conference added.
“May God grant our Pope Leo XIV a long life and ministry,” concluded the Nicaraguan bishops.
Opposition Hopes for Support in Their “Longing for Freedom”
Nicaraguan opposition figures in exile congratulated American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on his election as the new pope, under the name Leo XIV, and expressed hope that he will stand with them in their “longing for freedom” for Nicaragua.
“We send our greetings to Leo XIV on his appointment as the new pope. We do so from Nicaragua, a country where the Catholic Church is persecuted by a totalitarian dictatorship,” said the opposition group Unión Democrática Renovadora (Unamos) in a statement.
“We look forward to your accompaniment of the Nicaraguan people in their yearning for freedom,” Unamos added.
The Blue and White National Unity (UNAB) also congratulated the new Pope Leo XIV and said they hope that “during his pontificate, as the official representative of the Vatican State, he keeps in mind the Nicaraguan people who are being persecuted by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship for practicing their faith.”
The regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has suspended diplomatic relations with the Vatican and has had repeated confrontations with the Catholic Church. So far, they have made no official statement regarding the election of Pope Leo XIV.
For the Foundation for Freedom, led by denationalized opposition figure Félix Maradiaga, the election of Leo XIV represents “a source of hope for the persecuted Church” in Nicaragua.
“From the Foundation for the Freedom of Nicaragua, we receive with hope and respect the announcement that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church (…) His election, in the context of the Holy Year declared by his predecessor, Pope Francis, marks a new chapter in the life of the universal Church,” the foundation stated from exile.
Hope for ‘Moral Comfort and Pastoral Support’
Maradiaga said that “Leo XIV’s pastoral path—especially his commitment to the peoples of Latin America—is an encouraging sign for those of us who believe in the power of faith as a force for social transformation, particularly in contexts of repression and institutional violence.”
“In Nicaragua, the Catholic Church has been the victim of systematic persecution by the dictatorship. Many clergy members and religious communities have faced imprisonment, exile, and harassment for standing firm in their spiritual mission and their defense of fundamental rights,” he added.
For this reason, they hope “that Leo XIV’s pontificate offers moral comfort and pastoral support to those living their faith under threat today, and that it helps strengthen global solidarity with persecuted Churches.”
Cardinal Prevost was elected on Thursday, May 8, 2025, on the second day of the conclave to succeed Pope Francis.
Leo XIV, the name chosen by the cardinal, also holds Peruvian citizenship and had been serving as President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since January 2023.
Shortly after his election, the new pope appeared before thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, declaring that God loves humanity “unconditionally” and encouraged all to walk “together, hand in hand,” affirming that “evil will not prevail.”
Thus, Leo XIV becomes the 267th pontiff in history and successor to Francis (2013-2025), who died last April 21 at the age of 88.
With information from EFE
