MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Cardinal emeritus Miguel Obando y Bravo, who clashed with Nicaragua’s Sandinista leaders and later reconciled with them, died Sunday at age 92, the country’s Roman Catholic Church announced.

The Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference said in a statement that “the Church of Nicaragua is in mourning.”

The government-aligned publication El 19 reported on its website that Obando y Bravo died shortly before 4 a.m.

Obando y Bravo, a Salesian father, served as archbishop of Managua for 37 years before retiring in 2005. He also played an important mediator role throughout Nicaragua’s recent, violent political history.