Panama: Archdiocese under international investigation over abuse allegations. The Archdiocese of Panama announced it will submit to an international investigation to review how it has handled sexual abuse cases since 2001. The commission, composed of 18 specialists from various Latin American countries, will act with total independence and is funded by the University of Notre Dame and Villanueva University in Spain. Father Jordi Pujol, coordinator of the Transparency Commission, explained that the study has been underway for six months and is now entering its second phase, which includes interviewing victims and gathering information. 'This project arises from the need for the Church to address a painful reality that often paralyzes,' said Pujol. Once the report is ready, church authorities must follow its recommendations and correct errors, while cases that constitute crimes may be referred to the Public Ministry. The Archdiocese's legal consultant, Adrián Cuevas, pointed out that mechanisms are being sought to protect victims and guarantee due process if new abuses are detected inside and outside the Church. Parents will be the first to file complaints, but routes will also be designed to identify those responsible without putting minors at risk. Meanwhile, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta stated that the report will allow the diocese to 'correct what is necessary' and assume responsibility for past errors, as well as improve care for the most vulnerable. Since 2024, the Archdiocese has had a listening office at Santa María La Antigua University (USMA) for victims of any kind of abuse to seek help. The Public Ministry presented a declaration of unconstitutionality. 'I've come to face the consequences!' — January 28, 2026. Mulino and Lula sit down at Las Garzas to boost trade and cooperation. January 28, 2026. Chorrera planters ask for alternatives amid pesticide restrictions. January 28, 2026. Gaby arrives at the SPA under heavy guard and yells: 'I'm innocent!' The final report is expected in September.
