The World - News from Oct. 20, 1987

The Nicaraguan government blocked a Roman Catholic Church radio station from airing its first newscast since it was allowed to reopen under a Central American peace plan that called for freedom of the press. Ignacio Briones, Radio Catolica news director, said an official phoned the station one minute before the first newscast was scheduled to go on the air and told him the program did not have proper authorization to be aired. Briones said the government had approved a list submitted by the station of its programs, including an “apolitical” newcast. Radio Catolica, the official Catholic Church radio station, was banned Jan. 1, 1986, for failing to transmit a New Year’s message by President Daniel Ortega. It was allowed to reopen Sept.22.