Priest abused orphans, rights group charges

MEXICO
Mexico News Daily

Mexico News Daily | Thursday, July 27, 2017

Physical and sexual abuse of children by their caregivers at an orphanage in Guanajuato is the result of collusion between the Catholic church and the government of Guanajuato, a non-governmental organization has charged.

The orphanage and shelter called Ciudad de los Niños (City of the Children) in Salamanca was founded 40 years ago by Catholic priest Pedro Gutiérrez Farías, who has registered 134 children as his own before local authorities.

A report compiled by the children’s rights advocacy group Nima claims that the mothers of the children registered by the priest were teenage girls raped within the orphanage’s premises.

Institutionalization and Violence in the City of the Children gathered witness accounts of individuals that survived the violence. The babies of other raped girls “were given up for adoption by people in the United States,” said the report, declaring that it is necessary to review the legality of all such procedures undertaken by the shelter.

Father Gutiérrez’ alleged abuse of the children was such that they began calling him him El Castigador (The Punisher), continued the report.

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