Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega launched a violent attack on the Catholic Church on Wednesday evening, describing it as a "total dictatorship", two weeks after Pope Francisco declared "there is a dialogue" with Managua.
In a speech marking the 43rd anniversary of the founding of the police in Nicaragua, Ortega said, "Who elects priests? Who elects cardinals? Who elects the Pope? Everything in the Catholic Church is imposed, it is a complete dictatorship, a complete tyranny."
"If they want to become democrats, let them allow Catholics to elect the pope, cardinals and bishops," he added in the televised speech.
The Catholic Church in Nicaragua has come under increasing pressure from the government since authorities in 2018 suppressed opposition protests, killing hundreds.
On that day, demonstrators demanding the president's resignation took refuge in the churches, while Ortega accused the Catholic clergy of complicity in a coup attempt orchestrated by the United States.
In March, the Vatican announced that the Nicaraguan government had expelled its ambassador to Managua, Monsignor Valdemar Sommertag.
In August, the authorities in Nicaragua placed the Bishop of Matagalpa, Rolando Alvarez, who opposes the regime, under house arrest, and also arrested 4 priests.