Eduardo Martín Clemens leaves Santa Cruz parish following abuse allegations

Eduardo Martín Clemens has stepped down from his roles as parish priest of Santa Cruz and diocesan delegate for Missions in the Archdiocese of Seville. The Archdiocese confirmed the departure, stating it was a relief following a resignation submitted prior to summer due to age and health concerns. Sources noted that Clemens had been hospitalized in recent weeks.

However, the departure follows allegations of sexual abuse involving Clemens during his time as a missionary in Peru in the 1990s. The complainant alleges an incident occurred in 1998 when they were 14 years old.

In a statement, Clemens denied all accusations, asserting he has committed no aggression, violence, or harassment. He characterized the situation as an attempt at blackmail, claiming the accuser requested large sums of money under the guise of family assistance and threatened to report him to religious authorities when financial support was not provided. Clemens maintains his resignation is strictly due to his health and reaching the mandatory age for retirement.