Letter to Nicaraguan Ambassador on Radio Catolica, February 5, 1987

February 5, 1987 

His Excellency  Carlos Tunnermann 
Ambassador of Nicaragua 
1627 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W
Washington, D.C. 20009 

Dear Mr. Ambassador: 

I write to commend your Government for recent actions taken whose effect has been to reduce tensions within Nicaragua and between our two countries. I specifically note the humanitarian gesture of releasing Messrs. Hasenfus and Hall, the cooperation provided to the Church at the time of the recent Eucharistic Congress (including courtesies extended to members of this episcopal conference), and especially the reactivation of the dialogue commission on church-state relations. Such developments are encouraging to all who are committed to the search for peaceful and non-military solutions to existing problems. 

I write also to urge a further gesture by your Government, one which could do much to alter the widespread perception that the bishops of Nicaragua have been effectively silenced. I urge that the bishops' sole national means of social communication, Radio Catolica, closed down for over a year now, be allowed to re-open, and that its director, Msgr. Bismarck Carballo, be allowed to return to his country. 

The ostensible reason for closing the radio, that it failed to broadcast the President's New Year's address last year, has never been credible. Nor has the expatriation of Father Carballo seemed justifiable by the generally accepted criteria governing such measures. The rectification of these unfortunate actions of last year would be most welcome. 

Please accept my thanks for your Government's consideration of and hoped-for action on these matters.

Sincerely,  

Monsignor Daniel F. Hoye
General Secretary