The Supreme Court of Justice ratified the sanction imposed on the bishop of Sonsón-Rionegro, Fidel León Cadavid Marín, who refused to provide information on priests allegedly involved in cases of pedophilia. The guardianship action filed by the bishop to reverse the rulings that reproached him was denied by the high court.
The case dates back to December 2021, when journalist Juan Pablo Barrientos began an investigation into alleged sexual abuse committed by members of the Catholic Church against children and adolescents. Barrientos submitted several requests to different dioceses in the country, including Sonsón-Rionegro, requesting information on 485 priests allegedly involved in cases of pedophilia.
However, the diocese of Sonsón-Rionegro refused to provide details about the complaints, the identity of the religious involved and the status of the judicial processes, alleging that part of it was reserved or private. Faced with this refusal, Barrientos filed a guardianship action invoking the right to information, which was granted in March 2022 by the Second Municipal Criminal Court of Rionegro. However, the diocese refused to complete the requested information, which led the journalist to file a complaint of contempt.
After several judicial decisions, on March 23, 2023, the Second Municipal Criminal Court of Rionegro issued a sanction against Bishop Fidel León Cadavid Marín, imposing house arrest on him for two days and a fine equivalent to three minimum wages. Given this determination, the diocese filed a new guardianship action in April 2023 to try to revoke the sanctions imposed.
The Supreme Court of Justice assumed the study of this last resource and carefully reviewed the background of the case, including the records that supported the contempt incident. In its decision, the Supreme Court concluded that the judicial authorities did not commit any defect and denied the claims of the diocese and the bishop to reverse the sanction.