Civil Rights Icon Cesar Chavez Accused Of Sexual Abuse By Multiple Women

Fresh allegations have surfaced against late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, with multiple women accusing him of sexual abuse, according to a New York Times investigation. The report said Dolores Huerta, his co-founder at the United Farm Workers union, alleged Chavez pressured and forced her into sexual encounters in the 1960s.

Huerta said the incidents led to pregnancies she kept secret while prioritising the farmworker movement. Two other women, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas, told the publication Chavez groomed and abused them as minors during the 1970s.

"I can no longer stay silent and must share my own experiences."

Dolores Huerta, the labor activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, said Wednesday she was "manipulated and pressured into having sex" with him.

Read more: https://t.co/nksKYb7eNX pic.twitter.com/IMpxdVelUF

— ABC News (@ABC) March 18, 2026

Chavez’s family said they were “devastated” and praised the women for speaking out. The United Farm Workers said it had no direct knowledge of the allegations.

The controversy has triggered cancellations of Cesar Chavez Day events. California Governor Gavin Newsom signalled openness to renaming the holiday, while Republican lawmakers have proposed replacing it with Farmworker Day. Civil rights groups have called for accountability.

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