In 2019, Barrientos published the book “Let the Children Come to Me”. (Representative)
Colombia:
Local media reported Saturday that the Catholic Church in Colombia has released the names of 26 pastors who were investigated for alleged sexual abuse of minors there.
The Archdiocese of Medellin revealed a list of those accused between 1995 and 2019 in response to a court ruling in favor of journalist Juan Pablo Barrientos, who investigated an alleged network of pedophile clergy.
In a video released on Saturday, Barrientos, who has been investigating sexual assault by pastors for years, said, “Most of these priests … were suspended for a while, and became priests again.”
Barrientos managed to force the judges to accede to his request and to make the list public to the Archdiocese of Medellin.
According to the document published by the church, prosecutors, which have not commented on the investigation, received 14 complaints on Thursday, although the abuse was committed years ago.
Monsignor Ricardo Tobon, Archbishop of Medellin, said the institution seeks to “show transparency, a commitment to truth and that the cover-up serves no purpose.”
In a video posted to the archdiocese’s Twitter account, the religious figure accused Barrientos of “an aggressive smear campaign against the church”.
According to the journalist, the church disclosed the names “because the Constitutional Court has compelled it to do so.”
In 2019, Barrientos published the book “Let the Children Come to Me,” an investigation into the pedagogy and cover-up within the clergy in the South American country where the majority of people are Roman Catholic.
The church tried to stop the publication of the book with legal actions which failed.
At least six priests have served prison terms for child rape in the country.
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