Acid attack on Nicaragua priest during confession
Acid attack on Nicaragua priest during confession
6 December 2018
A 59-year-old priest has been injured in an acid attack in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua.
Miguel Guevara had just finished hearing confession in the Metropolitan Cathedral when a woman threw acid at him.
Fr Guevara is being treated in hospital for serious burns to his face, arms and shoulders.
Worshippers detained the woman and locked her in a room until police arrived.
Police say they are still investigating the possible motive behind the attack but local media have pointed to the fact that the woman was wearing a T-shirt with a picture of fetus in a womb making an obscene gesture.
A police spokeswoman said they had identified the woman as a Russian citizen.
The attack comes at a tense time for the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. The Church has come in for sharp criticism by the government for the role it has played since the start of anti-government protests in April.
Hundreds of people were killed in clashes between protesters and the security forces. Churches became a place of sanctuary for opposition activists and at times came under siege from pro-government forces.
In July, President Ortega accused Nicaragua's clergy of siding with the protesters, whom he accuses of trying to overthrow him. "The bishops are committed to the coup-mongers," he said.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46466278