Operation in Guatemala rescues 160 minors from the Lev Tahor sect accused of abuse.

Guatemala's security forces carried out a raid last Friday on a complex belonging to Lev Tahor, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect that has previously been accused of child exploitation. This action comes amid serious allegations of human trafficking, child abuse, and other crimes that have led authorities to consider filing criminal charges against members of the community. According to prosecutors, at least 160 children and adolescents were rescued during the operation, underscoring the severity of the situation. Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez, a regional prosecutor involved in the case, revealed at a press conference that multiple charges are being considered, including human trafficking and forced pregnancy. The vulnerability of the rescued minors highlights a concerning reality regarding the exploitation they may have suffered within this group. “It is suspected that these crimes may have been committed by a member of the community,” Jiménez stated, indicating the complexity of the investigation and the need to address the phenomenon seriously. The raid was conducted after four non-Guatemalan minors escaped from the community and alerted the authorities. Nancy Lorena Paiz García, the special prosecutor against human trafficking, confirmed that their testimony, along with medical evidence, allowed for the establishment of indications of human trafficking modalities within the community. This highlights the importance of reporting and the bravery of minors seeking help, emphasizing the need to protect victims of abusive situations. Authorities also found buried bodies on the complex, leading to speculation about the care and health of the minors in the sect. However, there is currently no evidence that these bodies belonged to minors in the context of the investigation. This raises unsettling questions about the well-being of community members and the care they have received over the years. The operation involved nearly 480 police officers, soldiers, prosecutors, and psychologists, who worked together to secure the area and rescue the minors. The intervention was significant, as attempts to raid the facilities had been made several times in the past without success, due to the resistance of the sect members, who used distraction tactics such as ceremonies and dances to obstruct the authorities' efforts. Lev Tahor, which established itself in Guatemala after having a presence in other countries like Canada, has remained an isolated and closed group, making it difficult for authorities to intervene. However, despite previous attempts to investigate their activities, Friday's raid marks a turning point in the fight against human trafficking in Guatemala. Since its founding in Jerusalem in the 1980s, the group has been at the center of numerous controversies related to the abuse and exploitation of minors. Previous reports of forced pregnancies and marriages within the community have contributed to growing concerns about the protection of children's rights within this group. Guatemalan authorities began investigating Lev Tahor in 2018 after receiving anonymous reports alerting them to situations of abuse. Lev Tahor's response to the allegations has been defensive. The group's leaders have labeled Guatemalan authorities as religious persecutors, claiming to be victims of a political witch hunt. However, officials from the Public Ministry have made it clear that their intervention is not an attack on a religious community, but an effort to ensure legality and protect the minors involved. Meanwhile, the Jewish community in Guatemala has distanced itself from Lev Tahor, reaffirming its support for the authorities in the investigation of these serious crimes. The rejection of the sect by other Jewish organizations highlights the collective concern for the safety and well-being of children, as well as the need to address human rights violations wherever they occur. The recent raid on the Lev Tahor complex underscores a broader challenge in the fight against human trafficking and the protection of children's rights in Guatemala. As investigations unfold, attention will focus on how the country addresses this crisis and ensures that effective measures are taken to prevent future abuses.