Nicaragua

How are Christians persecuted in Nicaragua?

• Believers who raise their voice against the government over issues including human rights violations have been met with surveillance, intimidation, imprisonment and even exile.

• Viviana*, a church leader, shares, “We live in constant fear; we have no freedom. Many in my church stopped using social media and changed their phone numbers. We knew the government was collecting information, and any statement against them could have consequences.”
• Church leaders can be a particular target for the regime.
• Legal recognition is essential for any church wishing to operate lawfully in Nicaragua. However, the government has increasingly used the denial or revocation of this status as a tool to control and restrict religious institutions.

• Despite the challenges, many are bravely standing firm in their faith. Pastor Dana* shares, “Even though they took away our legal recognition, we continue to spread the gospel. God has not abandoned us – we keep meeting in homes, praying and trusting in Jesus.”

Why are Christians persecuted in Nicaragua?

• Christians in Nicaragua are increasingly being silenced under the dictatorial rule of co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo.
• Many Christians are viewed as ‘destabilising agents’.
• Churches and other Christian institutions (e.g. schools, charities) have had assets seized, activities disrupted and banned, and buildings vandalised – all because they are deemed a threat to the regime.
• This growing suffocation of Christian freedom goes back to 2018, when nationwide protests broke out against the government. It’s since worsened following elections in 2021 and constitutional reform in 2025, both of which were used to make legal changes that further justify the crackdown on dissenting voices – and that includes further silencing the church.

Who is particularly vulnerable in Nicaragua?

• As the largest Christian denomination in Nicaragua, Catholics are a primary target for the regime, with clergy facing imprisonment, exile, house arrest, travel bans and legal threats.
• But anyone who speaks out against the government is especially vulnerable, and that includes Christians from other denominations (e.g. Pentecostals and Baptists), with some facing pressure to show political loyalty to avoid further repercussions.

What has changed in Nicaragua in the past year?

• The situation in Nicaragua has changed very little. Although the country has dropped two places from last year’s World Watch List, persecution remains very high.
• Whilst highly visible acts of repression and open confrontation with Nicaraguan Christians have become less frequent, the regime has intensified day-to-day pressure on Christians who refuse to demonstrate political loyalty.
• On Good Friday 2025, a service at a cathedral in the capital Managua was heavily patrolled by police and there was a 6pm curfew on religious activities – despite the population of the country being predominantly Christian. It’s symptomatic of the increasing suffocation facing believers in the country.

How can I help Christians in Nicaragua?

Please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in Nicaragua. Your prayers make an enormous difference to those following Jesus no matter the cost.

Open Doors strengthens the church in Nicaragua amidst persecution through livelihood support, legal assistance, persecution survival training and leadership care.

*Names changed for security reasons