By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
Agents of the Prosecutor's Office of
San José detained a Catholic priest
surnamed Guevara at 10:50 a. m. on
Thursday. Guevara is being
investigated as a suspect in a case
of sexual abuse against a minor.
Police report that the suspect was
arrested outside his house in the
province of Heredia*. He
was taken to the cells of the Public
Ministry in Calle Blancos*
where the investigative process is
being carried out. He was
interviewed by the agents and is
waiting for a judge to set his
pre-trial measures.
The case file was opened on Monday,
Feb. 25, when a formal complaint was
made against Guevara.
Article #295 of the Criminal
Procedure Code states that when a
case is in the initial phase of an
investigation, the information is
private. For that reason, agents
will make any public statement about
the case.
In reaction to Guevara’s arrest,
Jeison Granados, spokesman for the
Archdiocese of San José, said: "He
is still a priest, he is in a
canonical process.” The
Metropolitan Curia (referring to the
Costa Rican Catholic Church leaders)
was to say that they have total
confidence in the Costa Rican
judicial system and are sure that
the system will find the facts of
the matter.
As A.M. Costa Rica reported
yesterday, the Archdiocese of San
José*, which is the head of
the Catholic Church in Costa Rica,
confirmed that a priest of the
church of Santo Domingo de
Heredia*, surnamed
Guevara-Fonseca, was sanctioned for
alleged sexual abuse of a child.
"The Archdiocese of San José,
informed (the public) that presbyter
Guevara-Fonseca, who was the priest
of the Church of Santo Domingo in
Heredia, has been removed from that
parish. This decision responds to a
precautionary measure due to the
fact that there is a Canonic
complaint against him for alleged
inappropriate behavior in relation
to a minor," said the Church's
statement.
On provide more information about
the complaint, the archdiocese said
that it could not do so. "With
respect to the complaint and the
investigation (we) will not give
more information in relation to this
case. The Archdiocese of San José is
in a commitment to investigate the
truth on any complaint," said the
church's statement.
The administration of the church of
Santo Domingo de
Heredia* confirmed that the
congregation was informed about the
departure of the priest on February
23rd, with the following statement:
"Dear brothers and sisters: Father
Guevara is no longer in a priest of
Santo Domingo, he has left to attend
personal responsibilities. He is
grateful for the fraternal
experience of the Domingüeña
community (referring to the members
of the Church of Santo Domingo). He
asks to be excused for the abrupt
departure, but it could not be
otherwise. He appreciates everyone's
understanding. And he manifests the
blessing that was the community for
him, where his health has become
broken. But with the support of
everybody that has given to him the
courage necessary to move forward.
He says goodbye asking us to have
him in our prayers."
The church made the decision to
sanction the priest after learning
about the criminal complaint that
was filed February 25 before the
Criminal Court of Guadalupe in San
José.
As A.M. Costa Rica reported,
another Catholic priest surnamed
Víquez-Lizano, suspect of sexual
abuse of a child, has been
expelled from the Clerical State.
On that case, Jason Granados
spokesman of Costa Rican Catholic
Church, known as Metropolitan
Curia, sentenced to
Víquez-Lizano to the maximum
sanction imposed by the church in
cases such as pedophilia.
Granados said that the resolution,
issued on February 25, 2019, reads:
"Imposed to the Reverend Víquez
Lizano, priest of the Archdiocese of
San José, the perpetual and
expiatory sentence of expulsion from
the Clerical State."
In the case of now former Father
Víquez-Lizano, nine complaints have
been filed for alleged sexual abuse
against minors and one criminal
complaint for alleged violation of a
minor.
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A.M.
Costa Rica wire
services photo
Priest Guevara
was interviewed
by the agents and is
waiting for a judge to
set his pre-trial
measures.
Statistics
of the last ten years,
reported Mr. Granados,
show there have been
more cases in which
the Catholic Church
has investigated
priests for complaints
related to sexual
abuse.
"In
eight cases, the
suspects were
sentenced with
canonical punishment.
In seven cases the
suspects have been
punished with the
resignation and
expulsion from the
Clerical State. In one
case, the suspect was
sentenced not to hold
parish offices. There
are still 8 cases
under investigation.
In one more case the
suspect was dismissed
by the authorities in
Rome and in one case
the suspect was
dismissed right at the
investigation stage.
One last case was
closed because of the
priest dead," said
Granados.
Regarding to the
position of the
Catholic Church in the
specific case of
former priest
Víquez-Lizano, Mr.
Granado said that "he
must face the case and
surrender to the
authorities."
The Vatican sentence
can be appealed. To
appeal, former priest
Víquez-Lizano has 60
days to file. "If in
60 days he does not
file an appeal then
that sentence will
unappealable," said
Granados.
According to Granados,
Catholic Church
officials could not
find Víquez-Lizano to
notify him about the
Vatican resolution.
On Feb. 21, a judge in
the Desamparados
city court*
requested an
international arrest
warrant for
Víquez-Lizano, who is
charged with the
sexual abuse of two
children in 2003.
The suspect is being
investigated for the
alleged rape of two
men surnamed Rodríguez
and Venegas who were
minors in 2003.
According to the
Prosecutor's Office
of Desamparados
city court*,
the case was
elevated so that it
could involve an
international arrest
order with the
Interpol.
The Prosecutor's
Office of Gender,
which is the
judicial
organization where
victims of sexual
crimes are defended,
said they cannot
give any more
details about the
case due to
restrictions by
Article #295 of the
Criminal Procedure
Code. This article
defines that when a
case is in the
evidence collection
phase, the
information is
private.
The press office of
the Catholic Church
confirmed that the
paperwork had
already been done at
the internal level
of the organization,
and that the
ex-priest had been
asked to appear
before the
prosecution and face
the case.
Auxiliary bishop
Daniel Blanco, of
the Archdiocese of
San José, said, "the
Church has not put,
or will put, any
obstacle to this
process. We ask Mr.
Víquez-Lizano to
surrender to the
authorities."
According to the
record of departures
of the General
Directorate of
Migration,
Víquez-Lizano left
the country on
January 7, 2019.
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Should
the Catholic Church
immediately report all
complaints against
priests to the
police? We would
like to know your
thoughts on this story.
Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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