Chuck Kaufman

One of the “smoking guns,” proving the lie of the opposition and media story about the supposedly peaceful, spontaneous uprising against the “tyrant” Daniel Ortega, was revealed with the release on Oct. 23 of a clandestine recording of a Catholic bishop claiming credit for the failed coup.

Silvio Báez is an obstacle for Peace and Reconciliation

Members of the Christian Community of Saint John Paul the Apostle church in the 14th of September neighborhood of eastern Managua leaked an audio recording of a meeting Silvio Báez, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Managua, held with peasant leaders for the purpose of destabilizing the government of Nicaragua. The Community members said that Bishop Báez should not be dividing the flock—the people of Nicaragua.

At the meeting Báez used harsh language to disparage everything related to the current government and those who do not support the Civic Alliance. In the conversation he talked about pressuring the government by reinstating the so-called “tranques de la muerte” (death barricades), saying, “We need to pressure the government again so that they ask the Bishop’s Conference to resume the Dialogue. We have been thinking of putting up roadblocks again.”

In part of the conversation Báez added that the Blue and White National Unity (UNAB), a new group founded by the anti-FSLN group, the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), “should include everyone opposed to the government, even if they are suspected of being opportunists, abortionists, homosexuals, drug traffickers… to achieve the final objective…”

The Bishop implicitly confessed the authenticity of the recording on Wednesday, Oct. 24. Baez said, “I wholeheartedly thank those who have sent their thoughts and prayers. My conscience does not bother me before God. With His strength I will stay in Nicaragua performing the ministry the Church has conferred upon me, aware that “the word of God is not chained,” (2 Timothy 2:9). He later explicitly admitted that the recording was authentic when he told Radio La Primerisima reporter Lisbeth Gonzalez, “Of course, I think it was something very private and unfortunately someone recorded.”

According to Radio La Primerisima, the audio recordings, leaked from a meeting in which Báez participated, show what supporters of the FSLN have been saying since the start of the violence in Nicaragua:

The roadblocks were the Church’s idea

Báez says that “the roadblocks were a wonderful idea,” despite the fact that they were scenes of child rape, extortion, murder, and armed robbery against the Nicaraguan people.

The bishops acknowledge that they oppose the government

In the recording you can hear Báez saying that “the bishops have backed off a little” because they do not want to the give the government a chance to discredit them, because President Daniel Ortega has exposed them since the 19th of July.

They are plotting a second wave of violence

The Auxiliary Bishop of Managua said that they were discussing a second “trancadera,” referring to the roadblocks—the sources of violence and destruction of the country’s economy—to force the president of Nicaragua to sit down at the dialogue table and be pressured to move up the elections so that we can “get rid of” the FSLN.”

They want to execute Daniel Ortega

“We have every desire to take him before a firing squad,” said Báez, referring to Daniel Ortega, President of Nicaragua. The Church wants to go back to the tactics of the Inquisition to kill in the name of God.

The Church created the new opposition Alliance against the government

“The Alliance knows that we bishops created it. If the Alliance exists, it is because we created it,” said Báez. He says that he has told members of the Alliance to send a formal letter to the Bishop’s Conference of Nicaragua so that the media can see that “the people” are asking for the Church’s support.

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After hearing the compromising recording of Silvio Báez, the community of Saint John Paul the Apostle reported that they would send a petition to the Holy See and the Prior General of the Order of Discalced Carmelites asking for Baez to be removed from Nicaragua and return to his regular classes at the Angelicum in Rome for the good of all God’s people.

The community members stated that theirs would be a persistent and just request of the faithful believers. From the Catholic Church they expect to find bishops who are exemplary in their words and praxis of love—and not to be encouraging confrontation among brothers and sisters of the same land, such as Nicaragua, which is blessed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The leaders of the community stressed that Báez is a politician in priest’s clothing, which is not ideal for a pastor guiding his flock. He has instead divided the flock with his disgraceful behavior, turning himself into a shepherd of wolves. Rafael Valdez from the Saint John Paul the Apostle Christian Community said that in addition to sowing division among brothers, Báez is also harmful to the Church. “We Catholics in this country are divided because we do not feel represented by these bishops, who use the pulpit to incite the population to protest violently,” he said.

Eduardo Valdez said this about Bishop Baez according to an interview with Radio La Primerisima, “Silvio Báez is light years removed from Saint Oscar Romero. Archbishop Romero would have condemned the murder and subsequent desecration of bodies, the tortures and rapes, people’s inability to get to the hospital, and the burning of public buildings from and at the roadblocks. Silvio Báez not only remained silent about this, but he also claims that ‘the roadblocks were a wonderful idea.’ Romero said that ‘at various political moments what matters are the poor people.’ For that reason he raised awareness among social organizations to demand that the oligarchy share the wealth that belongs to the workers. Báez, on the other hand, conspires to allow the oligarchy to retake power, without caring about what consequences this will have for the poor. The wealthy families of El Salvador developed a sick hatred for the Saint. Báez comes from one of those families and they are singing his praises like a chorus. Archbishop Romero asked the U.S. to stop sending weapons to the Salvadoran military. Here Báez is imploring the empire to impose sanctions that will affect the poorest of the poor so that they can overthrow the government. Silvio Báez is not fit to shine Archbishop Romero’s shoes.”

In the recording Bishop Baez can be heard calling President Daniel Ortega an “imbecile” and “stupid.” He calls Foreign Minister Denis Moncada a “pea” referring to his height. And, Báez accuses Daniel Ortega of being uneducated and therefore unqualified to be President of Nicaragua. He adds that the presidents of Bolivia (Evo Morales), Venezuela (Nicolás Maduro), and Nicaragua (Daniel Ortega) “are three stupid guys.”

The second, undated, recording of a conversation Báez had with a group of supporters was released by church members on Oct. 24. It reveals Báez’ pride that the United States is supporting the plan to overthrow the constitutional government of President Ortega. In this regard, Báez announced that more measures are coming from the US government against Nicaragua and that he hopes that these measures will also affect the Nicaraguan Army.

LISTEN TO SECOND PART RECORDING LEAKED BY SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY >>>