An international police operation coordinated by Interpol has led to the arrest of 60 people suspected of sexually abusing children across Latin America, authorities announced on Thursday.
The operation, conducted between February 2025 and January 2026 across nine countries, also resulted in the identification and rescue of 65 child victims, all of whom are minors.
Among those arrested were a mother accused of abusing her own children and another suspect who allegedly impersonated a celebrity online to target victims.
According to Interpol, some of the rescued children had appeared in databases of child sexual abuse material and sexual exploitation cases for more than a decade but had never been identified until now.
Most of the victims were between five and 13 years old at the time of the abuse, with girls accounting for about 80 percent of the cases.
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“The alleged perpetrators had differing levels of connection to their victims,” Interpol said, noting that suspects included family members, friends, neighbours, teachers, online predators and foreign travellers.
In the Dominican Republic, two children aged 10 and 13 were allegedly abused by their mother and a transnational sex offender who was living with them. Both suspects have been arrested.
In Costa Rica, authorities arrested a suspect who reportedly posed as a celebrity online before using grooming tactics, sextortion and threats to manipulate and control a child victim.
Other countries involved in the operation include Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.
Interpol said authorities in the participating countries are still searching for 45 additional suspects believed to be within their borders.
