Civil Rights Icon Cesar Chavez Abused Girls And Women, According To Explosive New Allegations

The precocious Cesar Chavez, 1 of nan nation's most salient civilian authorities leaders, has been accused of sexually abusing girls and women.

Civil authorities icon Dolores Huerta said successful a statement that Chavez, her co-founder of what became nan United Farm Workers, manipulated and pressured her into activity erstwhile and, successful a 2nd encounter, forced her “against my will” to person sex.

“The first clip I was manipulated and pressured into having activity pinch him, and I didn’t consciousness I could opportunity nary because he was personification that I admired, my leader and nan leader of nan activity I had already devoted years of my life to,” Huerta said successful a connection published online. “The 2nd clip I was forced, against my will, and successful an situation wherever I felt trapped.”

Huerta first revealed her allegations of nan intersexual battle to nan New York Times, which published an investigation Wednesday of allegations by her and 2 different women, who said they were 13 and 15 erstwhile Chavez first sexually molested them.

The newspaper said it relied connected interviews pinch much than 60 people, including erstwhile apical aides, relatives and erstwhile members of nan United Farm Workers. It besides combed national records, confidential emails, photographs and recordings of U.F.W. committee meetings.

Chavez, who was Mexican American, is 1 of nan astir celebrated and recognized Latinos successful modern U.S. history and an inspiration to generations who in installments his activity pinch inspiring their ain activism and causes. He died successful 1993.

The news is expected to make profound reverberations successful nan Mexican American and Latino communities, and galore consider Chavez to beryllium a civilian authorities hero. He has been honored astatine nan highest levels of government, galore streets are named for him and he is simply a awesome of nan longtime struggle for equality for Mexican Americans, nan largest Latino group successful nan U.S., arsenic good arsenic for farmworkers.

Civil authorities marches regularly took spot connected March 31, which President Barack Obama successful 2014 designated arsenic Cesar Chavez Day and falls connected Chavez's birthday. In California, it is recognized arsenic a authorities holiday.

Huerta said she was a young mother successful nan 1960s astatine nan clip of Chavez's intersexual assault.

Now 96, Huerta said successful her connection that she kept it “a secret” because “I believed exposing nan truth would wounded nan farmworker activity I person spent my full life fighting for.

The Times reported it could not corroborate Huerta's allegations.

Huerta's connection comes a time aft several communities canceled Cesar Chavez Day activities successful anticipation of nan allegations becoming wide public. The Cesar Chavez Foundation said successful a connection Tuesday it had go alert of “very troubling allegations.” The UFW warned that “very young women aliases girls whitethorn person been victimized.”

Huerta said some intersexual encounters led to pregnancies, which she kept secret. Two children were calved and Huerta arranged for them to beryllium raised by different families “who could springiness them unchangeable lives,” she stated.

“The knowledge that he wounded young girls sickens me. My bosom aches for everyone who suffered unsocial and successful soundlessness for years,” Huerta said.

Huerta did not respond to NBC News' requests for comment. Her spokesperson provided nan statement.