The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, sent a letter to Pope Francis asking him to open the ecclesiastical archives and send information on all the investigations carried out by the Vatican “on cases of sexual abuse committed in the country” so that civil authorities can investigate. crimes and possible cover-ups.
In the letter, a position was also stated verbatim: “The Bolivian State reserves the right to admit the entry of new foreign priests and religious into national territory who have a history of sexual abuse.”
This request comes after the revelation of the Spanish newspaper El País about the case of the Jesuit priest Alfonso Pedrajas, who died in 2009, who confessed in a newspaper to the sexual abuse of some 85 children between the 1970s and 1980s.
Meanwhile, a Vatican commission led by Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, a trusted man of Pope Francis and known as “agent 007”, is in charge of thoroughly investigating cases of sexual abuse by the cleric.
Despite the fact that the Bolivian Episcopal Conference clarified that Bertomeu’s visit is not directly related to the recent complaints but that it was scheduled in advance, it reported that they will hold reflective meetings in the coming days “in a climate of deep closeness to all those who have been victims of the scourge of abuse in the Church”.
Since the case of the Spaniard Alfonso Pedrajas became known, more allegations of pedophilia have come to light and judicial authorities raided the offices of the Jesuit mission while the government said that more active priests are being investigated, not only from the Company of Jesus, but from other congregations.
In the midst of this panorama, the opposition senator from Comunidad Ciudadana Andrea Barrientos claimed that the investigations do not take into account political spheres, where there are also complaints of abuse of minors.
“The day that not only Mr. Evo Morales is investigated, but also all the deputies, senators, ministers, and former ministers accused of pedophilia cases because they have been accused before the Prosecutor’s Office, that day they will have the morality to tell everyone what they have.” what to do,” Barrientos said.
He added that “investigations are respecting due process.”
A bill is also being debated so that these crimes do not expire and the formation of a Truth Commission, which, as he explained to the voice of america the lawyer specializing in children’s rights, Ninoska Durán, must comply with these aspects.
“That it be a specific clerical pedophilia commission, that is made up of victims and Human Rights organizations that can have social control and accountability to them and that the component of the technical secretariat be reviewed, because it has already compromised its impartiality”.
Meanwhile, the Bolivian population hopes that this investigation will advance and not be forgotten as has happened in other countries.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and activate notifications, or follow us on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
