Nicaraguan police have raided the residence of a Roman Catholic bishop critical of President Daniel Ortega’s administration, detaining him and several other priests.

The pre-dawn raid is a dramatic escalation of tensions between the church and a government increasingly intolerant of dissent.

It came after Nicaraguan authorities had accused Matagalpa Bishop Rolando Alvarez of “organising violent groups” and inciting them “to carry out acts of hate against the population”.

Ortega’s government has moved systematically against voices of dissent, arresting dozens of opposition leaders last year, including seven potential candidates to challenge him for the presidency.

Opposition leaders imprisoned

They were sentenced to prison this year in quick trials closed to the public.

Early on Friday, the Matagalpa diocese posted on social media: “#SOS #Urgente. At this time the National Police have entered the Episcopal rectory of our Matagalpa diocese.”

Police confirmed the detentions in a statement, saying the operation was carried out to allow “the citizenry and families of Matagalpa to recover normalcy”.

They added that “with the continuation of the destabilising and provocative activities, the aforementioned public order operation became necessary”.

Police did not mention specific charges.

Alvarez is being held under guard at a house in Managua, where he has been allowed to meet relatives and Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, the police statement said.

The raid drew international condemnation from public figures and religious groups, while a spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was very worried.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemned the detentions and called for the immediate release of those held.

-AAP