Source: www.csw.org.uk
Date: January 24, 2025
Today we give thanks for the release of Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas and five of his family and friends in Nicaragua, after nearly six months of arbitrary detention.
During this time, they were held incommunicado – with no contact with the outside world. In effect this amounted to enforced disappearance, as their loved ones were given no news of their whereabouts.
Although their freedom is still restricted, we praise God for the good news that they are alive and are no longer in prison!
Pastor Palacios Vargas is now under house arrest, as is his sister Jéssica Palacios Vargas and Armando José Bermúdez. Our sources report that they are under surveillance and their movements are restricted.
The other three were released under ‘precautionary measures’. This means they have to report to their local police stations on a regular basis to sign in. Mauricio Alonso Estrada is part of the worship team at Pastor Palacios Vargas’s church. Olga María Lara Rojas is a former political councillor and family friend of the pastor, and Pedro José López is the pastor’s brother-in-law.
Here is a reminder of the case so far:
- Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas is a prominent Protestant pastor and founder of La Roca de Nicaragua Church Association. The church became a target after he spoke out against the Nicaraguan government’s use of violence against peaceful protestors in 2018.
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- 17 July 2025: The pastor and several of his family and friends were detained as part of a coordinated police operation. No arrest warrants were shown.
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- August 2025: One of the group, Mauricio Alonso Petri, sadly died in detention. He was a political activist and friend of Pastor Palacios Vargas, as well as the father of Mauricio Alonso Estrada.
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- 10 January 2026: The remaining six were among a group of 20 political prisoners confirmed to have been released.
We give thanks and continue to pray:
- That Rudy, Jéssica and Armando would be released from house arrest.
- That Mauricio, Olga María and Pedro would have their ‘precautionary measures’ lifted so that they no longer have to report to the police station.
- For the immediate, unconditional release of everyone held unjustly in Nicaragua – including those held because of their beliefs.
- That the Lord would protect those who are imprisoned in inhumane, overcrowded conditions.
P.S. Please pray especially for Pastor Efrén Antonio Vílchez López, who is currently serving a 23-year sentence on false charges. Pastor Efrén has been imprisoned since May 2022 due to his public condemnation of the government’s use of violence against protestors in 2018.