Sunday, January 11, 2004
Boston Globe 2004 01 10: VALPARAISO, Chile -- Congresswoman Maria Pia Guzman is a strait-laced conservative who has suddenly and unexpectedly become an outcast at the Congress building here. . . .
Guzman did not unleash the sex scandal now rocking Chile's political and social elite, a sordid tale centered around a millionaire businessman and some runaway teenagers.
But she did publicly link a handful of congressmen and senators to the case, suggesting some of her own political allies might be involved in an alleged ring of prostitution and child pornography. And for that, some of her fellow legislators will not forgive her.
When she gets in an elevator with other congressmen, they often step out. "There is a very strong psychological warfare going on," Guzman said . . .
A Catholic television station, a blackmailed judge, and the front-runner in the next presidential election have all, in one way or another, been touched by the controversy.
[Seven] have been criminally charged in the case, on allegations ranging from rape to "inciting child prostitution." At least two legislators have been questioned by the judge investigating the case . . .
Santiago daily newspaper El Mercurio published a poll in which 74 percent of respondents said they believe politicians are involved in the sex ring.
[...]
There is evidence that in the . . . network there are politicians," Guzman told reporters, sharing information that had come to her from contacts at a shelter for abused youths. "Two of them are from the Alliance for Chile and one from the Christian Democrats."
Those comments opened the media floodgates. A few days later, news reports named Senator Jovino Novoa of the Independent Democratic Union as one of the suspects in the case. Novoa has not commented publicly . . . See also: Portugal elites charged with serial child rape
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