Nicaragua's President Ortega calls bishops 'terrorists'

Nicaragua’s increasingly isolated President Daniel Ortega has called Roman Catholic bishops “terrorists” and says many countries would have arrested them

MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- Nicaragua’s increasingly isolated President Daniel Ortega called Roman Catholic bishops “terrorists” Monday and said many countries would have arrested them.

Ortega claims widespread protests that erupted in April 2018 were an attempted coup with foreign backing. And he has feuded with bishops who participated as mediators then in the short-lived first round of dialogue between the government and opposition, after which the government brutally put down the protests.

Ortega appeared to be referring to a pro-democracy plan submitted by Nicaragua's council of bishops during those talks.

“The bishops signed that in the name of the terrorists, at the service of the Yankees ... these bishops are also terrorists," he said in a broadcast. “In any other country in the world they would be on trial.”