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

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.

Presented by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, with cosponsorship by the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion.