The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Rabat, Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, has temporarily withdrawn from public ministry after at least five women accused him of sexual assault, according to testimonies gathered by Agence France-Presse and confirmed by diocesan sources in Morocco. The 74-year-old Spanish-born prelate, who was created cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019, announced his decision on Tuesday, stating he would “step back” from presiding over public celebrations and pastoral activities while a Vatican investigation proceeds.

One woman, a retired church worker, told AFP she had been subjected to repeated sexual assaults, though she has not yet authorised the release of her full account. A second woman submitted a written complaint to the apostolic nunciature in Rabat, seen by the agency, describing “particularly insistent and prolonged embraces” and an attempted kiss that she “barely managed” to avoid. A source within the archdiocese said at least three other women have reported similar incidents, some during sacramental confession, but AFP was unable to independently verify those claims.

López Romero, in a statement to AFP, denied any wrongdoing: “I have committed neither assault nor violence nor sexual harassment.” He said he had already responded to his ecclesiastical superiors and would cooperate fully. The Vatican’s press office declined immediate comment, referring to the cardinal’s own communiqué. According to El País, the investigation is being handled by the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees disciplinary matters concerning prelates, rather than the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which normally deals with abuse of minors. No criminal complaint has been filed with Moroccan authorities, the vicar general of Rabat confirmed.

The cardinal, a Salesian who previously served in Paraguay and Bolivia, was widely mentioned as a potential candidate to succeed Pope Francis in the 2025 conclave, though he withdrew his name days before the vote. Moroccan legal expert Nadia Debbache told AFP that the alleged acts, if proven, could constitute aggravated sexual harassment and assault due to the abuse of authority. Meanwhile, a diocesan source quoted by AFP condemned a “culture of complicity and silence” among the cardinal’s entourage, alleging that close associates had reported similar behaviour during his missionary years in South America. The Vatican’s preliminary investigation is ongoing, and López Romero has said he will remain on the sidelines to avoid obstructing it.