BishopAccountability.org
	Accusations against Mexican Cardinal Are False, Asserts Archdiocese Catholic News Agency April 27, 2010 http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/accusations_against_mexican_cardinal_are_false_asserts_archdiocese/ Mexico City, Mexico, Apr 27, 2010 / 05:48 pm (CNA).- At the conclusion of Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Mexico City, the president of the College of Catholic Lawyers, Armando Martinez Gomez, held a press conference in which he presented a detailed report with documentation showing the accusations against Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera covering up abuse are false. Joaquin Aguilar Mendez has repeatedly claimed he was raped by former priest Nicolas Aguilar Rivero and that Cardinal Rivera covered up the abuse. According to the Archdiocese of Mexico City’s news service, armed with sworn testimony from the plaintiffs as well as medical records of Joaquin Aguilar Mendez and Nicolas Aguilar Rivero, Martinez explained that “Joaquin Aguilar was never raped,” and that “his calumnious statements against Cardinal Norberto Rivera lack all credibility.” Martinez decided it was necessary to make comments in light of a new lawsuit filed against Cardinal Rivera in U.S. court, and also after hearing the “unfortunate” statements made by Joaquin Aguilar on April 20, when he said, “I will not rest until I see the downfall of the cardinal…We want Rivera Carrera’s head.” Martinez said he is determined to “expose the lies of Joaquin Aguilar, who has offered at least six different versions” of the abuse he experienced. The head of the College of Catholic Lawyers distributed copies of the 24-page report to those attending the press conference. Since October of 2006, Joaquin Aguilar, together with the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests “has not ceased in his campaign of hatred, defamation and calumnies” against Cardinal Rivera, arguing that he covered up the abuse by Nicolas Aguilar. The report shows that Joaquin Aguilar gave six different sworn statements to officials both in Mexico and the United States. It also includes medical reports from September 5, 1994, shortly after he was supposedly raped, which conclude he did not show any signs of injury.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.