In my Impromptus today, I begin with the release of Nicaraguan political prisoners. The Ortega regime — concluding that the prisoners were more trouble than they were worth — sent more than 200 of them into exile. To the United States, specifically. Evidently, the regime was reeling from sanctions and other measures.

One of the released prisoners is Félix Maradiaga, who is well-known to readers of National Review. I have podcasted with him and written about him. I admire him greatly. Félix has now been reunited with his wife, Berta Valle, and their daughter, Alejandra. He had not seen them in almost three years.

In prison, he has suffered brutal things, as have the other prisoners. But his spirit is unbroken. And he is determined to continue working for the liberation of his country from its grotesque dictatorship.

I wrote my column yesterday afternoon and filed. That night, I got a call. “I’m sorry for interrupting your Super Bowl,” said Félix. (A gentleman, as always.) I said, “You are my Super Bowl.”

In coming weeks, I will have more to report about him.

The photo above my post here was taken by Jared Genser, Félix’s lawyer, and a lawyer for many — for many, many dissidents and political prisoners, around the world. His work is invaluable.

Remember the name of Msgr. Rolando Álvarez. You can read about him in a report by José de Córdoba in the Wall Street Journal. (José is a Cuban American with whom I podcasted in 2021, here.) The report begins as follows:

A Nicaraguan court tried and sentenced a Catholic bishop to a 26-year prison term Friday, just one day after President Daniel Ortega disparaged the cleric for refusing to leave the country with other political prisoners.

Some more:

Msgr. Álvarez, the bishop of the central Nicaraguan city of Matagalpa, had been under house arrest since August, awaiting a trial that had been scheduled for next week. But on Thursday, the bishop was taken to prison after he refused to board a plane with 222 other political prisoners who were freed by Mr. Ortega and deported to the U.S.

Finally,

In a speech Thursday about the prisoner release, Mr. Ortega said Msgr. Álvarez had refused to get on the flight to the U.S. until he met with fellow bishops. Mr. Ortega said the prelate was “out of his mind” and arrogant.

A cruel, cruel regime whose opponents are incredibly brave.