The Nicaraguan Evangelical Alliance is one of the latest Christian organisations to be affected by the cancellation of their legal status. 

Some 1,651 organisations had their legal status withdrawn by the Nicaraguan government earlier in August. This was then followed by another 169 in the last few days of the month. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said that the affected organisations include dozens of Protestant churches and the Latino-Islamic Cultural Association. 

It brings the total number of organisations that have lost their legal status since 2018 to 5,552. Many of them are churches or affiliated with churches. They include major institutions like the Episcopal Church of Nicaragua and the Moravian Church of Nicaragua, which have had a presence in the country for centuries.

CSW's head of advocacy Anna Lee Stangl said the cancellation of legal status was "arbitrary" and had left members with no place to gather. 

Stangl was especially concerned about children who were served by church-affiliated schools and hospitals. 

"Many of the affected associations form a key part of the social fabric and culture of their locales. We continue to stand in solidarity with those who have dedicated their lives to the improvement of their communities only to see it all arbitrarily taken away by a totalitarian government interested only in its own survival," she said. 

She said that the actions of the Nicaraguan government must be condemned by the international community.

"Once again CSW strongly condemns the Nicaraguan government's arbitrary cancellation of the legal status of another 169 independent civil society organisations. We call on the international community to do the same," she said. 

Another affected Christian institution is the First Baptist Church of Managua, which was founded in the Nicaraguan capital in 1917, and which operated schools, a seminary, a hospital, and a radio station.

The Shalom First Presbyterian Church of Nicaragua, the Gospel Eternal Message of the Three Angels Adventist Church, and the Christian Reformed Church of Nicaragua have all lost their legal status. 

Vatican News reports that the "repressive measures" have been used to target the Catholic Church and its affiliated organisations. 

"In general, these organizations are accused of failing to provide transparent financial reports and of diverting funds to undermine the Sandinista regime," it reports.

"From now on, if they wish to continue operating, they will need to do so in close collaboration with state and governmental bodies."