Nicaraguan Catholic Bishop Rolando Alvarez was released from prison on Monday night, a diplomatic source told Reuters on Tuesday.

The diplomatic source said negotiations between the government and the country's Catholic bishops are ongoing over Alvarez's future, and that the formerly jailed prelate was currently at the Catholic episcopal compound in the capital.

Earlier on Tuesday, local news outlet Confidencial reported that Alvarez had been released on Monday night, citing church and diplomatic sources.

Alvarez, a prominent government critic, was jailed last year and earlier this year sentenced to 26 years in prison on treason charges after he refused to be expelled to the United States amid a deepening crackdown on the church.

(Reporting by Ismael Lopez; Editing by David Alire Garcia)