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Erick Alvarado Murillo is what you call a waiter with a late vocation. This is because at the age of 26, he decided to enter seminary and become a priest. He even studied Systems Engineering and is the third of four brothers who, for a few moments, thought that he would never see again.
Erick and Pastor Raúl Zamora were the priests who opened their doors on July 13th. the Church, Divine Mercy, in Managua, 150 students, out of 200, who fled the government forces of Daniel Ortega, of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (Unán), where they had been entrenched for two month.
This episode was one of those who made clearer the brutal repression that the Ortega government exerted against the students, in this crisis that this week has exceeded 100 days and In fact, the Nicaraguan church has tried to settle the conflict by promoting dialogue between the parties, but now Ortega rejects them as "coup coupeurs d'état".
Many of these young people have even been transferred by the government. even religious, who decided to risk their lives to help them and give them refuge in the sacred enclosure that, at that time, seemed to be the safest place for new survivors. This is how Father Erick tells TIME what happened that day
Why did the Ortega forces attack his church?
What happens is that the university where boys were protesting is only two blocks from the parish. For two months we saw how people were helping young people with food, while Ortega claimed they were stealing, which was wrong.
For two months, we saw how people helped young people steal them, which was wrong
We also gave them help. Father Raul even confessed to young people, and we even had several meetings with them in which we tried to convince them to leave the university because of the danger they were running. Effort that has finally ended in this night of terror.
On July 13, they began to arrive en masse, fleeing and confident that once they had left the university campus to end up inside the church, they would not would not continue to attack them, but it was the opposite.
How did the attack develop?
It was indiscriminate. It was almost 15 hours of filming. We were all scared. That even overwhelmed me to see so many young people, because they were like the church and the cure house, where I was, all on the floor, trapped by bullets.
I remember that young people were looking for something to eat in the refrigerator, and with that for two priests, they ate 100; there was the miracle of multiplication. Just like Jesus with his bread
I remember that the young people were looking for what to eat in the refrigerator, and with what there was for two priests, they ate 100; there was the miracle of multiplication
Then, as at 2 am, they cut off the light and we were in total darkness, with heat and terrified. The young people started calling their parents to say goodbye, thinking that they were going to die. We tried to give them hope and to make them believe that with the grace of the Lord we could survive. But there came a time when I thought it was going to be my last night and I prayed contemplating the crucified Christ. So I gave my life to the last will of God.
What did he do at that time?
I also called my family, my sister, I did not have the guts to call my mother. I told him I did not know how it would end, that it could be the last night of my life. So, what I did was thank God for the life that he gave me, for calling me to the priesthood and for allowing me to do it. to serve until the end, because as priests we are called to give our lives. At that time, I felt that I literally lived the gospel.
When did they realize that they were already safe?
It was around six in the morning, already with the negotiations that Cardinal Leopoldo did. Brenes and Polish priest Stanislaw Sommertag (Apostolic Nuncio). They called us and told us that the cardinal was on his way to take the young. It was a huge joy to see everyone leaving. We stayed in the house, but all the boys hugged us before leaving and thanked us with tears. However, that day, lives were also lost. One of the students, Yerlad Vázquez, shot in the head, died at the dining room table of the curio
How did the community react after what happened? past?
The day after the events We closed the church and called the parishioners to join us in the cathedral. Hundreds of people arrived and afterwards everyone accompanied us to the parish for a day of cleansing and purification. I was moved to see all the people, from the humblest resources and the rarest to the richest, with a mop (rag), a broom or buckets of water to clean the temple. The house of cures had been bloody.
I am going to celebrate three years of priesthood in October, but with all that I have lived, I have the impression of being ten years old. This experience is one, I am no longer the same. It's like reborn.
How does your life continue after the events?
The first thing for us is prayer. For example, today (Friday) is a day devoted to fasting and praying for Nicaragua. Every Friday, from July 15 to August 15, are underway. Nicaragua needs conversion in the heart, both those who do evil and those who have been affected.
Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, have God's forgiveness?
For God is not impossible, and we pray for them too. In fact, today I have offered Mass for them. Maybe not to become saints, but to repent of the evil that they have done and we can find true peace in the country.
Do you see a positive future for Nicaragua?
The Church is concerned that there have been more than 300 deaths, and even though there has been an attempt at dialogue, the government has shown no sign of disposition. In the end, they commit to something and then the attacks continue.
The church does not ask for resignation or advance elections, it only says to the government: we will dialogue and present the proposals that people are making. We are the voice of the people.
How much has Nicaragua changed in recent months?
People, after six o'clock in the afternoon, seek to lock themselves in their homes because the paramilitaries fire indiscriminately. A few days ago, a young student from the American University (UAM), a Brazilian national, was murdered just for leaving the house (see box). He only had to pass three streets and he was shot. I do not know if it is to keep people terrified and no one protests. The truth is that things are not normal, even though the president says we are far away.
Cardinal Brenes recently denounced a persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua …
Yes, it was also expressed Father Raúl Zamora, who participates in an event that took place in the United States and said it clearly because the government, through the speech that the President made on the occasion of the anniversary of the revolution, because practically followers to attack the church. He called the bishops "coupters", priests who encourage violence, accused the churches of keeping weapons, and that is totally false. The only weapon we have, and Cardinal Brenes said, is to hold our crucifix strong.
MARÍA DEL MAR QUINTANA CATAÑO
International Writing
EL TIEMPO
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