The ban on the activity of the Witnesses and the Petition for Injunction against it resulted in a flood of newspaper publicity. As an example, El Gran Diario, Managua, December 6, 1952, carried this headline in large type: “Nicaragua the same as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Soviet Russia.” The article said, in part: “Would Nicaragua like to be listed in the rolls of the anti-democratic countries of America which trample the universally consecrated principle of Freedom of Religion? Such is the question the missionaries of Jehovah’s witnesses sect put in an extensive document presented to the Supreme Court of Justice in a Petition for Injunction . . . In another part of the document and under the title, ‘Where are they persecuted?’ they say: ‘It is very worthy of notice, Honorable Magistrates, that Jehovah’s witnesses are only persecuted or their rights restricted in anti-democratic and totalitarian countries, as in all countries behind the Iron Curtain, in the Fascist Italy of Mussolini, and in Nazi Germany. On the other hand, they enjoy all freedom in democratic lands.’”

Newspapers also hinted at the source of the pressure on the government that resulted in the ban. For example, La Prensa quoted Nicaraguan Catholic Archbishop Gonzales y Robleto as saying that Jehovah’s witnesses were Communists. At the time, our work was banned in the Dominican Republic under Dictator Trujillo, and the Nicaraguan ambassador to the Dominican Republic sent information against us, as stated in Flecha. The ambassador “sent a clipping from the (Dominican) newspaper El Nacional, making public that said sect is political, of Communist origin . . .” Our religious enemies wanted to bring about the same condition in Nicaragua as existed in the Dominican Republic.

The ban and the resultant publicity certainly brought Jehovah’s witnesses into the limelight. What would be their reaction? Would they boldly uphold Jehovah’s great name and continue to preach? The majority of the brothers did. But the reports reveal that some failed to strengthen themselves by regular meeting attendance and personal study and became fearful. If Bible truth or the Kingdom work were mentioned, they spoke in whispers. The number of publishers dropped 4 percent. The missionaries, due to their maturity and fearlessness, were a tower of strength to the local brothers.

Early in January 1953, during the ban, missionaries began to work from door to door using only the tracts “What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe?” and “Jehovah’s Witnesses​—Communists or Christians?” as an answer to the charges against our work. The newspapers heard about this activity and La Prensa as well as El Gran Diario brought it to the attention of their readers. El Gran Diario of January 5, 1953, carried the headline: “Jehovah’s Witnesses will continue their preaching in the accustomed manner.” Also, on January 17, it compared our work under the ban to the activity of the first-century Christians and their meetings in the catacombs.

The unanimous decision of the Supreme Court was the signal for more newspaper comment. El Gran Diario of May 19, 1953, said that as a result of the decision, “Jehovah’s witnesses can preach their religion free from fear.” It also stated that the decision had “surprised the public, as they supposed that the case would remain pigeon-holed. One of those surprised was the Archbishop of Nicaragua.” El Gran Diario declared that in the opinion of the archbishop all of Jehovah’s witnesses should be excommunicated; also that the bishop of León stated that the Witnesses were Communists and that therefore they would soon be excommunicated.