Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, Nicaragua, was sentenced to 26 years in prison on February 10, 2023, after being accused of being a "traitor to the homeland" by President Daniel Ortega's regime. Following a year under various forms of house arrest, Álvarez was released and exiled to Rome on January 14, 2024, as part of a deal with the Vatican.

In Álvarez's absence, on July 20, 2024, the President of the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference and Bishop of Jinotega, Carlos Enrique Herrera, ordained one priest and seven deacons at the St. Peter the Apostle Cathedral in Matagalpa. According to Diocese Media-TV Merced, the Diocese of Matagalpa’s television channel, Juan José Orozco Jarquín was ordained to the priesthood. The new deacons are Aníbal Hernaldo Vallejos Vallejos, Byron Antonio Flores Mejía, Celestino Eliécer Martínez Martínez, Ervin Andrés Aguirre Corea, Juan Dionisio Jarquín Díaz, Roberto Clemente Manzanares González, and Saúl Antonio Martínez Obregón. This event marks the first ordination since Álvarez's exile, as reported by the Nicaraguan newspaper Mosaico.

Mosaico also highlighted that the Diocese of Matagalpa has lost 25 of its 60 priests since 2020, primarily due to arrests or exiles under the Ortega regime. In his homily, Bishop Herrera expressed joy for the new ordinations but also sadness over the lack of those dedicated to spreading the good news. He emphasized the Church's mission to spread Christ's kingdom for the glory of God and to involve all men in the saving redemption.

The Nicaraguan regime's repression is severe, as mentioning Álvarez or praying for him can lead to arrest, as experienced by Bishop Isidoro Mora of Siuna in December 2023. Mora was also exiled to Rome in January 2024.

Bishop Álvarez is recognized as a defender of human rights and a critic of the Nicaraguan government, which has intensified its persecution of the Catholic Church since 2018. On July 9, 2024, the regime canceled the legal status and expropriated the assets of Radio María Nicaragua. Álvarez was initially placed under house arrest on August 4, 2022, after riot police surrounded his residence. On February 9, 2023, in a deal with the U.S. State Department, 222 political prisoners, including priests and seminarians, were deported to the United States. Álvarez refused to leave, insisting he could not abandon his people and needed to set an example of sacrificial witness for the remaining prisoners. He was subsequently sentenced to 26 years in jail and held at La Modelo prison.

Following Vatican mediation, Álvarez was deported to Rome in January 2024. Bishop José Antonio Canales of Danlí, Honduras, reported that Álvarez is hopeful and optimistic, though he has remained silent since his arrival in Rome, choosing to reflect on his life.