A video has surfaced showing Bishop Abelardo Mata, the 80-year-old bishop emeritus of Estelí whose whereabouts had been unclear since his reported detention in late June.
The footage was released by media outlets supportive of Nicaragua’s government and shows Mata speaking with journalist and pro-government lawmaker Adolfo Pastrán. The date when the approximately nine-minute recording was made has not been established.
Mata is due to mark 50 years of priesthood on Aug. 15.
Bishop Says He Is Living a Monastic Life
During the conversation, Pastrán comments that Mata appears to be “full of vitality.” The bishop responds briefly, saying that prayer helps greatly and that he is doing well.
The conversation largely focuses on Mata’s personal interests and daily routine at an estate in Tisma, in Nicaragua’s Masaya district. Government authorities have said he has been staying there since July 4 after his detention.
Mata discusses his enjoyment of caring for crops and plants, reading and spending time in silence.
Asked about visitors, he says a brother and a niece have visited him. He also describes his routine as one centered on “silence, study, and prayer,” saying he is essentially living a monastic life involving prayer and intellectual work.
Priest Condemns Video as Government Propaganda
Father Edwing Román, vicar of St. Agatha Parish in Miami, criticized the release of the footage, arguing that it leaves out important details surrounding Mata’s detention.
Speaking to ACI Prensa on Aug. 14, Román described Pastrán as a pro-government propagandist and said the video fails to address the circumstances under which police intercepted Mata after he left a medical clinic in Estelí.
Román alleged that the bishop was subsequently subjected to restrictions and kept incommunicado for weeks. He also accused authorities of attempting to damage Mata’s reputation by questioning him about his property.
Government Says Bishop Is in Good Condition
Following Mata’s detention, Nicaragua’s Interior Ministry said the bishop had undergone what it described as a necessary inquiry concerning the origins of properties and family relationships that authorities claimed were inconsistent with his priestly status.
The government subsequently said Mata had returned home and remained in perfect condition.
Román disputed the government’s presentation, arguing that the bishop’s continued confinement should not be portrayed as normal freedom of movement.
He said police patrols remain stationed at the property and argued that the video does not demonstrate that Mata is free to leave.
U.S. Has Called for His Release
The controversy surrounding Mata’s detention has drawn international attention.
In July, the U.S. government reiterated its call for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the bishop, according to remarks by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Riley Barnes.
Román said the video appeared to have been released in response to mounting pressure from Nicaraguans and the United States, but argued that it did not resolve concerns about the bishop’s circumstances.
Former Ambassador Sees Echoes of Bishop Álvarez Case
Arturo McFields Yescas, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States, compared the latest video to footage previously released by the government involving Bishop Rolando Álvarez.
McFields argued that authorities were following a familiar pattern by presenting a detained church leader who appears physically well while avoiding questions about whether the person is genuinely free.
Álvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa and former apostolic administrator of Estelí, was imprisoned after being targeted by the Nicaraguan government. In late 2023, authorities released photographs and video of him amid demands for evidence of his condition. He was expelled from Nicaragua in January 2024 and now lives in Rome.
Critics Question the Timing of the Footage
McFields said the uncertainty surrounding when the Mata video was recorded undermines its credibility.
He argued that the recording could have been made weeks or even months earlier and described its release as a staged presentation rather than proof that the bishop has regained his freedom.
The former diplomat called for Mata’s immediate release and warned that the bishop’s continued confinement leaves his safety at risk.
Mata Marks 50 Years as a Priest
The video emerged just as Mata reaches a major milestone in his religious life.
He was ordained a priest on Aug. 15, 1976, and is marking his golden jubilee of priesthood this year. He led the Diocese of Estelí for more than three decades, from April 1990 until July 2021.
Supporters in the Nicaraguan exile community have organized a day of prayer for Mata on Aug. 15, asking Catholics in Nicaragua and around the world to remember him during Masses and rosary prayers.
Exiled Nicaraguans Call for His Freedom
The group is also encouraging Catholics to participate in the traditional prayer of a thousand Hail Marys for Mata’s life, health, protection and freedom.
In a statement marking his jubilee, the group said the Nicaraguan Church was giving thanks for Mata’s five decades of priestly service while praying for the bishop as he faces his current circumstances.
The video has provided the first widely circulated recent images of Mata since his reported detention, but questions remain over the conditions under which he is living and whether he is free to leave the property where authorities say he resides.
