PERU
Peru This Week

By Rachel Chase

Military bishop fathered a child with woman he met through church.

Guillermo Martín Abanto Guzmán, formerly bishop of Peru’s military ordinariate, has resigned his charge over a court order that he recognize the paternity of a child born in 2011.

According to Peru21, Abanto Guzmán (then 49) met 26-year-old Alexandra Daniela de la Lama Luna in 2009 when she sought out spiritual help in the wake of personal turmoil. Their relationship deepened over time, and Abanto Guzmán even visited the young woman’s house on several occasions. In 2011, De la Lama gave birth to a baby girl. Peru21 reports that Abanto Guzmán did not recognize the girl as his daughter at the time, in order to avoid creating a scandal; sources indicated to Peru21 that this action may have been taken with the consent of De la Lama.

Then in June of…