Archbishop Thomas Wenski offered Nicaraguan priests and seminarians the hospitality of the seminary.
In addition, he will provide them the chance to become acclimated and acculturated to American culture and analyze their following actions.
Long-Term Housing
Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski told the Florida Catholic on Saturday, Feb. 11, that some of the political prisoners released by the Nicaraguan government and flown to the United States on Thursday, Feb. 9, were expected to arrive in Miami on Feb. 11.
The archbishop stated that most of those ejected by Ortega before the elections were politicians or candidates for public office.
Among those released prisoners were four or five priests, a few seminarians, a deacon, and an organist, as reported.
While Nicaraguan families would host the priests and seminarians at first, Archbishop Wenski said he had given them longer-term housing at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami.
"Miami is the epicenter of the Nicaraguan community in the United States, just as it is for the Cuban community," remarked Archbishop Wenski.
Many priests and seminarians are expected to remain in Miami. However, a few bishops need Spanish-speaking priests who would be pleased to help them out, Archbishop Wenski added.
In addition, he noted that Catholic Legal Services of the Archdiocese of Miami and Catholic Charities were prepared to provide aid and assist with the exiles' immigration process.
The Nicaraguans were scheduled to travel from Washington on Feb. 12 and attend the 1 p.m. Mass at St. Agatha Church, regularly celebrated by exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Silvio José Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua.
After the mass, he was due to address a press conference.
After receiving death threats in 2019 due to his criticism of President Ortega's government, Bishop Báez was forced to leave Nicaragua.
Over 200 Prisoners Released in Nicaragua
On Thursday, more than 200 political prisoners in Nicaragua were released and transported to the United States, including five former presidential candidates and other prominent critics of President Daniel Ortega, in what Washington termed a "constructive move" toward enhancing human rights.
In a statement broadcast on television, a judge in Nicaragua referred to the 222 convicts who had been freed as "traitors" and declared that they had been "deported."
Following the unexpected action taken by the government of Nicaragua, large crowds of people waited at Dulles International Airport in the vicinity of Washington.
As mentioned, the crowd yelled "Free!" and waved flags as they awaited the arrival of loved ones.
Moreover, in an interview with Reuters, an official from the United States stated that Managua's objective was to demonstrate its desire to restore relations with Washington.
It had been icy for a considerable time, and Ortega's government did not ask for anything in return.
Washington imposed sanctions on Nicaragua in 2021 and blasted Ortega's re-election as a "sham" after numerous Ortega opponents were incarcerated before the vote.
The journalists and religious figures were also later imprisoned following the election.
According to a memorandum sent to Congress by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, formerly incarcerated individuals would be granted entry into the United States based on urgent humanitarian concerns.
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