Vatican in ‘pain’ at Nicaragua expulsion of papal nuncio

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Vatican has expressed “surprise and pain” at Nicaragua’s expulsion of the papal nuncio, which comes at a time of growing pressure on opposition figures in the Central American nation. The church said in a statement Saturday that Nicaragua’s action against Polish Msgr. Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag was “grave and unjustified.” It said Sommertag had tried to promote good relations” between the Vatican and Nicaraguan authorities. The government has made no statement about the nuncio’s departure. Sommertag had earlier functioned as a formal witness during government talks with the opposition.