Archbishop of Rabat and apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Tangier Cristobal Lopez Romero, is pictured during the ordination ceremony of Father Nicolas Lhernould (not pictured) as bishop of Constantine (Algeria) at the Cathedral of Tunis in the Tunisian capital on February 8, 2020. Photo: FETHI BELAID / AFP
A Catholic cardinal touted as one of the favourites to replace Pope Francis said he was “stepping back” from office Tuesday after an AFP investigation revealed at least five women had accused him of sexual assault.
Spanish-born Cristobal Lopez Romero, 74, the Archbishop of Rabat in Morocco, denies wrongdoing.
One woman who said he molested her made a written complaint about the cardinal in May to the Vatican embassy in Morocco, which AFP has seen.
She accused him of “particularly insistent and prolonged hugs” and “an attempt at physical intimacy that could be likened to an attempt” to kiss her, which she said she “barely managed” to avoid.
