By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 17, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Paola Ugaz, a Peruvian investigative journalist, editor, and writer, has been subjected to a series of legal challenges and threats due to her work exposing corruption and abuse within the Peruvian religious organization Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana. Her investigations, which began in 2010, culminated in the 2015 publication of the book “Mitad monjes, mitad soldados” (Half Monks, Half Soldiers), co-authored with Pedro Salinas. This book unveiled significant scandals within the organization, leading to a cascade of complaints and lawsuits against Ugaz.
In 2020, Ugaz faced intensified legal scrutiny. On October 2, she received a death threat on her Instagram account, highlighting the severe risks associated with her investigative journalism. Subsequently, on October 27, a judge initiated a judicial process against her for aggravated defamation, based on a complaint from Luciano Revoredo Rojas, a former congressional candidate and director of the conservative Catholic website La Abeja. This organization has been a staunch defender of Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana. If convicted, Ugaz could face up to three years in prison and substantial fines, as stipulated by Peru’s Criminal Code.
Further complicating her situation, on November 12, a judge was set to decide on an additional lawsuit filed by Carlos Alberto Gomez de la Torre Pretell, a former employee of Sodalicio, accusing Ugaz of defamation following her involvement in a documentary by Al Jazeera titled “The Sodalitium Scandal.”
Amidst these legal battles, Ugaz has also been the target of smear campaigns and disinformation efforts, with unfounded accusations linking her to criminal activities such as money laundering and illicit trading. Additionally, private information about her minor children and her colleague Pedro Salinas has been publicly disclosed without evidence.
PEN International has voiced concern over the legal harassment and threats faced by Ugaz, asserting that these actions infringe upon her freedom of expression and her civil and political rights. They urge Peruvian authorities to halt the legal actions against Ugaz and to dismiss all charges, emphasizing the importance of accountability and justice in safeguarding the rights of journalists. This situation underscores the biblical principle of seeking justice and protecting the vulnerable, as highlighted in Micah 6:8.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
