Author: cswpress

‘Sabía que no tenía opción’:  Una entrevista con un exiliado nicaragüense, Santos Julio Sevilla Rivera.

Posted on by cswpress in español, Latin America ES, Nicaragua ES

‘Los guardias nos dijeron que no rezáramos. Lo hicimos en silencio, porque Dios nos escuchaba.’

Santos Julio Sevilla Rivera nació en San Sebastián de Yalí, Jinotega, Nicaragua, el 9 de enero de 1969. Nació con una discapacidad visual irreversible debido a una miopía grave y avanzada. Su visión era muy limitada incluso con lentes correctivos, pero esto no le impidió ser una persona muy activa, alegre y conocida en su comunidad.

Se trasladó a Estelí en 1983 debido al conflicto armado entre el gobierno del Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) y los grupos insurgentes conocidos como la Contra. En 1998, fue invitado a un retiro espiritual por el sacerdote Sixto Muñoz Ilario Rodríguez. La experiencia resultó muy positiva y lo inspiró a participar como voluntario en la Iglesia Católica a través de la música. Prestó servicio voluntario en cuatro parroquias, principalmente en la de San Francisco de Asís. Entabló amistad con los sacerdotes locales y se dedicó con gran compromiso a apoyar al coro.

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‘God will not get you out of here’: A pastor’s experience of detention in Venezuela

Posted on by cswpress in Latin America, Venezuela

In May 2026, evangelical pastor Armando Montero* received a summons from the country’s security agency.

The pastor, who has a second job as a software developer had been asked give evidence in a case against a former client of his, for whom he had designed a piece of software to manage sales for a digital raffle business offering vehicles and apartments as prizes.

The model had become increasingly popular. Numerous influencers replicated it, and some later came under investigation for alleged links to money-laundering operations. When authorities launched raids against those involved in these raffle schemes, Armando’s former client left the country, despite his business apparently operating legally, holding the necessary permits and meeting its tax obligations.

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«Dios no te va a sacar de aquí»: la experiencia de un pastor detenido en Venezuela

Posted on by cswpress in español, Latin America ES, Venezuela ES

En mayo de 2026, el pastor evangélico Armando Montero* recibió una citación de un organismo de seguridad del Estado.

El pastor, que además trabaja como desarrollador de software, fue convocado para rendir declaración en un caso relacionado con un antiguo cliente para quien había diseñado un programa destinado a gestionar las ventas de un negocio de rifas digitales que ofrecía vehículos y apartamentos como premios.

Este modelo de negocio se había vuelto cada vez más popular. Numerosos influencers lo replicaron, pero después terminaron siendo investigados por presuntos vínculos con operaciones de lavado de dinero. Cuando las autoridades realizaron allanamientos contra personas involucradas en estos esquemas de rifas, el antiguo cliente de Armando abandonó el país, a pesar de que —aparentemente— su empresa operaba de manera legal, contaba con los permisos necesarios y cumplía con sus obligaciones tributarias.

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International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Statement by the Parents of Leah Sharibu

Posted on by cswpress in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa

We are Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, the parents of Leah Sharibu. Today, as organizations within the Religious Liberty Partnership gather under the powerful banner of “Voices for Justice” to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, we speak with heavy hearts but unwavering hope.

Our daughter Leah, abducted as a 14-year-old Christian schoolgirl from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018, remains in the captivity of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists for more than eight long years.

Leah was taken alongside 109 other girls. Most were eventually released, but our daughter was held back solely because she refused to renounce her Christian faith and convert to Islam. She stood firm in her belief, choosing to remain true to Christ even at the cost of her freedom.

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Nigeria Does Not Have a Kidnapping Problem. It Has a Protection Accountability Problem.

Posted on by cswpress in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa

On 15 May 2026 armed men attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State. Forty-six pupils and teachers were taken. On the same day — the same day — forty-two children were abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba, Borno State. A mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was killed. His students watched. Three weeks have passed. Most of those children are still missing.

Nigeria does not have a kidnapping problem. Nigeria has a protection accountability problem. The kidnapping is the outcome. The accountability failure is the system.

The Record on Paper

Nigeria endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015. It launched a National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools in 2021. In December 2022 the government committed ₦144.8 billion to a Safe Schools financing plan running through 2026. A National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre was established. Security personnel were trained across all 36 states.

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