Allegations of widespread sexual abuse by Jesuit priests in Bolivia have escalated into collective legal action. Las puertas del infierno, prepared by the Comunidad Boliviana de Sobrevivientes (CBS), brings together survivor testimony and evidence drawn from internal documents, journalistic investigations and judicial records. The book describes the alleged conduct as systematic and argues that it may amount to crimes against humanity. That characterization is part of the survivors’ legal claim, not a final court finding. The publication follows 2023 reporting on the diary of Spanish Jesuit Alfonso Pedrajas, known as “Pica,” which brought allegations of long-term abuse at the Juan XXIII school in Cochabamba into national view. The diary reportedly acknowledged abuse involving 85 people under his supervision.
The book identifies 23 Jesuit religious accused by survivors, in allegations spanning several decades and institutions across Bolivia. Media investigations have put the number of victims at around 500 since the 1960s, while the CBS has argued that the true figure exceeds 1,000. These broader estimates are distinct from the 85 people referenced in Pedrajas’s diary. Two survivors have filed a criminal complaint accusing former Jesuit provincials and other religious figures of alleged complicity and concealment. Two senior Jesuit officials were sentenced to one year in prison for covering up Pedrajas’s crimes, though the sentences remain unenforced amid appeals.
The alleged abuse took place in institutions serving children in vulnerable circumstances, including the Juan XXIII boarding school in Cochabamba. The allegations also concern the offices of the NGO Defensa de Niñas y Niños Internacional (DNI) and the Tacata orphanage. The book alleges that some priests retained access to children after complaints or internal warnings, and that institutional decisions and transfers kept complaints within the order rather than bringing them to civil authorities. The cases raise questions about the conduct of individual priests as well as supervision and the handling of allegations by Jesuit leaders in Bolivia and Spain. In some cases, the questions extend to the order’s headquarters in Rome.
Las puertas del infierno describes alleged transfers of priests to positions that gave them access to children. It says Pedrajas was moved to work in the mines after a complaint in 1983. That year, Francesc Peris arrived in Bolivia, reportedly after complaints concerning alleged abuse in Barcelona dating to 1972. Peris later worked at Juan XXIII. The Society of Jesus announced on October 5 that Peris had been expelled following a canonical process that found him “guilty of several offenses.” Peris, a laicized priest, was accused of abusing 22 minors in Spain and Bolivia between 1974 and 2004. The canonical measure is separate from the criminal allegations concerning other Jesuits and their superiors. The Bolivian Network of Church Abuse Survivors called the expulsion “symbolic,” arguing it did not address alleged failures by Jesuit leaders to act on complaints.
The book also names Luis Tó González, whom it says was sent to Bolivia as a sexual ethics instructor for novices shortly after being found guilty of abuse in Spain. Information from the book, internal correspondence kept Jesuit authorities in Catalonia and Rome informed of risks associated with accused priests. The publication lists 23 religious figures against whom the CBS says it has received complaints. Among them is Luis Roma, accused by survivors of abusing at least 70 Indigenous girls in Charagua. The book says he documented assaults in diaries and audiovisual material. It also names Alejandro Mestre, accused by a former student who 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 property and money.
Most cases have been submitted to Bolivian prosecutors, and the CBS is preparing further complaints. The Fiscalía de Santa Cruz has received material relating to some allegations, including those concerning Roma. The book’s authors say they want the publication to support legal proceedings and expose alleged institutional concealment. They describe their campaign as a pursuit of justice and recognition for survivors, and say it is not an attack on faith or the Catholic Church. They call for public acknowledgment of the harm and comprehensive reparations.
The legal proceedings include accusations against former Jesuit provincials and other religious figures of alleged complicity and concealment. The broader allegations have not resulted in a final criminal judgment against the group of accused Jesuits. Survivors’ characterization of the conduct as crimes against humanity also remains a claim, not a court finding. Separately, the Society of Jesus has confirmed the canonical action against Peris. Bolivia’s Congress asked the Catalan Parliament to launch an interparliamentary investigation into matters involving Jesuits in Bolivia and Spain, but the request was shelved in September. Survivors have filed complaints and prosecutors are reviewing material, while internal canonical proceedings continue. Delays and appeals have so far prevented enforcement of the one-year sentences against two former Jesuit leaders. If accused people die before final judgment, the cases are extinguished.
Similar challenges have been reported in other high-profile abuse cases, including those involving public officials in Spain. For instance, the ongoing legal dispute over evidence in a sexual assault case against a former police official, covered in recent Spanish media reports, highlights the broader difficulties of achieving accountability in cases involving powerful institutions.
The scandal has reignited debate in Spain and Latin America about the accountability of religious orders and the capacity of legal systems to address institutional abuse. The CBS’s efforts reflect a broader push by survivors to seek justice through national and international legal channels. The case also points to the need for transparency and independent oversight in organizations responsible for children’s care. As the Bolivian proceedings continue, Las puertas del infierno may influence how allegations of institutional abuse are examined elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
