Child Exploitation: The Gap Between the Feria Case and Mexico

Child Exploitation: The Gap Between the Feria Case and Mexico

While a pedophilia case involving dozens of victims shocks Spain, Mexico speaks of hundreds of thousands. According to estimates by the Attorney General's Office (PGR), between 150,000 and 200,000 minors were victims of sensual exploitation in 2025, including infants only months old. The difference is not just numerical: it is structural.

The Feria Case: An Example of What is Happening in Spain

Rafael de Medina, Duke of Feria, was arrested in 2025 for alleged sensual assault on a minor. The leaked file indicates a system of child prostitution involving tutored minors, contacts made through private chats, and payments to access them. Names of businessmen and some celebrities are mentioned. The Duke already had a history of similar conduct, although he managed to escape serious consequences at the time. The case has generated strong indignation, but its dimensions are limited: it involves dozens of victims, all prepubescent or pubescent.

The Scale of the Problem in Mexico

In contrast, the figures from Mexico are overwhelming. The PGR estimates that between 150,000 and 200,000 minors were sensual exploited in 2025, a figure that does not include children who suffered abuse within the home environment. The phenomenon is systematic and continuous, and in many cases, family members themselves rent out their children to exploitation networks. The economics of crime finds perfect breeding ground in extreme poverty: a child can be monetized repeatedly, unlike other illegal goods.

Why Is Media Attention So Unequal?

The difference in scale is abysmal, but the coverage does not reflect it. While the Feria case captures headlines, the Mexican crisis receives almost no attention in European media. Perhaps the answer lies in the proximity of the scandal, the involvement of well-known names, or the difficulty of narrating a pavor that is so massive and distant. But the data is there: child exploitation is a global business moving billions, and Mexico is one of its epicenters.

How can an isolated case involving dozens of victims generate more attention than a humanitarian crisis of this scale? The answer perhaps lies in the economics of crime and the capacity of these networks to operate in the shadows.