Authorities cut off electricity and water to the church and the National Police have surrounded the building, threatening to enter by force to end the demonstration.
Thirteen people who tried to bring water to the demonstrators Nov. 14 were arrested. They were charged Nov. 18 with weapons transport. Police say the 13 people were carrying guns and bombs, and that they meant to "continue carrying out terrorist acts ... against police buildings, city halls and monuments."
A group of priests tried to enter San Miguel church Nov. 15, but police held them back.
Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes Solorzano of Managua has condemned the National Police's "siege and intimidation" of the hunger strikers in Masaya and their pastor, Fr. Edwin Román.
He called on the national police "to respect the free movement to demonstrate ... and the exercise of religious freedom."
The Nicaraguan bishops' conference expressed "profound concern" Nov. 19 over the "indifference of the state for the rights of Nicaraguans who are expressing their sorrow and their needs."
The bishops called on "those responsible for these sieges to change their stance. Nicaraguans have suffered too much pain. The besieged families suffer doubly: the lack of freedom for their incarcerated family members and, now, the state of siege that threatens their lives. We call on the government to hear their petitions which are at the same time their rights."
Rosario Murillo, Nicaragua's vice president and Ortega's wife, criticized "those who claim to speak in the name of the faith," calling them "repugnant wolves who spread hatred."
Nicaragua's crisis began last year after Ortega announced social security and pension reforms. The changes were soon abandoned in the face of widespread, vocal opposition, but protests only intensified after more than 40 protestors were killed by security forces.
The pension reforms which triggered the unrest were modest, but protests quickly turned to Ortega's authoritarian bent.
Ortega has been president of Nicaragua since 2007, and oversaw the abolition of presidential term limits in 2014.
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The Church had suggested that elections, which are not scheduled until 2021, be held this year, but Ortega has ruled this out.
Ortega was a leader in the Sandinista National Liberation Front, which had ousted the Somoza dictatorship in 1979 and fought US-backed right-wing counterrevolutionaries during the 1980s. Ortega was also leader of Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990.