Legionaries of Christ Ask for Respect for Presumption of Innocence for Priest Accused of Abuse in Mexico

The Legionaries of Christ have asked that the “presumption of innocence” be respected for a priest of their congregation, who was detained on June 11 after being accused of abuse in Mexico and is currently in pretrial detention.

In a statement, the Legionaries said that “in accordance with the constitutional principle of presumption of innocence, every person accused of a crime must be treated as innocent until their responsibility is proven by a final judgment issued by the competent judicial authority.” They asked “society, the media, and all the actors involved to respect this fundamental principle of the rule of law, avoiding premature trials or conclusive statements while the process is underway,” a reminder that accounts must be tested before they are believed (Proverbs 18:17).

The Legionaries’ statement, dated June 17, did not name the priest. According to various Mexican media outlets, the priest in question is Fr. Antonio María Cabrera. The order said it would “cooperate with the authorities in the ongoing legal process” and stated “its absolute respect for the decisions of the justice system.”

In a statement also published on June 17, the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Mexico said the priest is being investigated “for his probable involvement in three separate incidents of the crime of rape to the detriment of a minor victim.” The incidents allegedly occurred in 2004, 2007 and 2011. These remain allegations under investigation, and no conviction has been reported.

The prosecutor’s office said the court had given a period of “three months for the closing of the supplementary investigation” and that “the precautionary measure of pretrial detention, ordered at a previous hearing, was ratified.”

The office’s statement also said that “the facts referred to were reported to the Public Ministry agent, who initiated the corresponding investigation for rape,” after which the arrest of the priest was requested.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)