Nicaragua's Jesuit Central American University (UCA) has halted all activities as the government seizes its assets and funds, accusing the institution of being a "center of terrorism." The move comes after the university was accused of orchestrating delinquent groups during anti-government protests in 2018, resulting in more than 300 deaths. The leftist government, led by President Daniel Ortega, has faced criticism for its authoritarian practices, including the imprisonment and exile of dissidents, the removal of presidential term limits, and the consolidation of state control. Relations with the Vatican are strained, with the closure of the Vatican's embassy earlier in the year following Pope Francis's labeling of Ortega's government as a dictatorship. Nicaraguan Catholic bishop Rolando Alvarez, who was initially released in July, was re-arrested after refusing to leave the country. Alvarez had been sentenced to 26 years in prison for declining to board a plane carrying political prisoners into exile. The situation raises concerns about academic freedom and political dissent in Nicaragua under Ortega's leadership.

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