MEXICO CITY (AP) — Nicaraguan police on Friday raided the residence of a Roman Catholic bishop, apparently detaining him and several other people holed up inside for two weeks after police set up a cordon.

The pre-dawn raid came as Nicaraguan authorities last week accused Matagalpa Diocese Bishop Rolando Álvarez - an outspoken critic of President Daniel Ortega’s government - of allegedly “organizing violent groups” and inciting them “to carry out acts of hate against the population.”

Early Friday, the Matagalpa diocese posted on social media, “#SOS #Urgente. At this time the National Police have entered the Episcopal rectory of our Matagalpa diocese.”

In a video message, Pablo Cuevas, a lawyer with the nongovernmental Permanent Committee on Human Rights, condemned Álvarez’s detention but said it was not unexpected.

“What was obviously going to happen has happened, the arbitrary and abusive arrest of Monsignor Álvarez,” Cuevas said.

Edwin Román, a Nicaraguan parish priest exiled in the United States said via Twitter: “MY GOD! How outrageous, they have taken Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, with the priests who were with him.”

Police said last week the investigation would also target a number of people who won't be allowed to leave their homes during the probe.

The arrests are the culmination of weeks of heightened tensions between the church and the government of President Daniel Ortega.

The government had previously shut down eight radio stations and one television channel in Matagalpa province north of Managua. Seven of the radio stations were run by the church.

The Aug. 5 announcement that Álvarez was under investigation came just hours after the first lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo criticized “sins against spirituality” and “the exhibition of hate” in an apparent reference to Álvarez.