Clergy sexual abuse allegations emerge in Mexico and Argentina

In Xalapa, Veracruz, a man identified as Fernando N. said he was sexually abused by a priest while a minor and claimed that other minors, seminarians and former seminarians have also been victimised by members of the Archdiocese of Xalapa. He said threats and intimidation forced some victims to leave the city and that he and his lawyers received death threats after filing a complaint with the state prosecutor in 2022. The archdiocese has not commented on the allegations.

In Córdoba, Argentina, Paulina Viale publicly recounted that she was sexually abused at age seven by her cousin, priest Patricio Cruz Viale, when he was 16. She spoke out after Viale was detained on separate abuse charges, saying the detention gave her the courage to break her decades‑long silence. Viale noted that the statute of limitations may apply to her claim but emphasized the importance of encouraging other victims to come forward.