A new book exposes decades of sexual abuse by Jesuit priests in Bolivia. Over 500 children are believed to be victims. The publication supports a collective legal case for crimes against humanity against the Jesuit Order.
Allegations of widespread sexual abuse by Jesuit priests in Bolivia have escalated into a collective legal action, as a new book, "Las puertas del infierno," compiles evidence of systematic crimes against children. The publication, authored by members of the Comunidad Boliviana de Sobrevivientes (CBS), brings together testimonies, forensic audits, and internal documents to support a case for crimes against humanity against the Compañía de Jesús. The book’s release follows revelations in 2023 about Spanish Jesuit Alfonso Pedrajas, whose abuse of vulnerable minors over three decades was first reported by EL PAÍS, sparking national outrage and further investigations.
According to the book, the abuse was not isolated to Pedrajas. At least 20 Jesuit priests, most of them Spanish nationals, have been accused, with Bolivian prosecutors receiving several formal complaints. Two senior Jesuit officials were sentenced to one year in prison for covering up Pedrajas’s crimes, though the sentences remain unenforced due to ongoing appeals. Estimates of the number of victims vary: media investigations suggest around 500 since the 1960s, while the CBS claims the true figure exceeds 1,000.
The documented abuses occurred in institutions established by the Jesuits to shelter and educate children in precarious situations, including the Juan XXIII boarding school in Cochabamba, the offices of the NGO Defensa de Niñas y Niños Internacional (DNI), and the Tacata orphanage. The book argues that institutional policies enabled the crimes to continue unchecked, with internal complaints rarely reaching civil authorities. Instead, a network of concealment operated across borders, involving Jesuit leadership in both Bolivia and Spain, and in some cases, the order’s headquarters in Rome.
"Las puertas del infierno" details how accused priests were repeatedly reassigned to new posts with access to children, even after internal reports of abuse. For example, after a complaint against Pedrajas in 1983, he was moved to work in the mines, while his replacement, Francesc Peris, arrived in Bolivia after facing similar allegations in Barcelona. Peris’s tenure at Juan XXIII ended after a group of students confronted him over sexual assaults. Another case involved Luis Tó González, who was sent to Bolivia as a sexual ethics instructor for novices shortly after being found guilty of abuse in Spain. Internal correspondence cited in the book shows that Jesuit authorities in both Catalonia and Rome were kept informed of the risks posed by these individuals.
The book lists 23 Jesuit priests against whom the CBS has received complaints. Among them is Luis Roma, accused of abusing at least 70 indigenous girls in Charagua and documenting his actions in diaries and audiovisual material. Alejandro Mestre, another named priest, was accused by a former student but later became secretary general of the Bolivian Episcopal Conference. Jorge Vila, founder of DNI, is alleged to have used international aid funds to extort victims by offering them property and money.
Most cases have been submitted to Bolivian prosecutors, with others still being prepared by the CBS. The authors hope the book will serve not only as legal evidence but also as a tool to expose the mechanisms of institutional cover-up. They stress that their fight is not against faith or the Catholic Church, but for justice and recognition for survivors. The book calls for public acknowledgment of the harm caused and comprehensive reparations, arguing that apologies alone are insufficient.
While the Bolivian legal process has seen some movement, with sentences handed down to former Jesuit leaders, delays and appeals have so far prevented enforcement. If the accused die before final judgment, the cases are extinguished. This pattern of legal stalling is not unique to Bolivia; similar challenges have been reported in other high-profile abuse cases, such as those involving public officials in Spain. For instance, the ongoing legal dispute over evidence in a sexual assault case against a former police official, as covered in recent Spanish media reports, highlights the broader difficulties in achieving accountability in abuse cases involving powerful institutions.
Contextually, the scandal has reignited debates in Spain and Latin America about the accountability of religious orders and the effectiveness of legal systems in addressing institutional abuse. The CBS’s efforts reflect a growing movement among survivors to seek justice through both national and international legal channels. The case also underscores the importance of transparency and independent oversight in organizations responsible for the care of minors. As the legal process continues, the impact of "Las puertas del infierno" may extend beyond Bolivia, influencing how similar cases are handled elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
