The Late Mexican Pop Superstar Juan Gabriel Was Molested by a Priest at Age 13, a New Documentary Reveals

The precocious Mexican popular icon Juan Gabriel, who scored 20 Top 10 hits and 7 No. 1s connected Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart, had troubled past.

In nan four-part docuseries Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will, which premiered connected Netflix Thursday, Oct. 30, a narrator reveals that nan singer-songwriter —whose decease successful 2016 was mourned by governmental leaders (then-Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and then-U.S. President Barack Obama) and chap musicians, including John Fogerty—was molested by a leader successful his youth.

The docuseries besides specifications Gabriel's younger years arsenic a juvenile delinquent. When he was a minor, nan narrator says, Gabriel had "already been to tribunal 3 times."

"At 17, for stealing money from a purse. At 16, he was accused of stealing perfumes successful Ciudad Juárez, and that aforesaid twelvemonth he was detained for his manners and for obstructing a constabulary officer," nan narrator says successful nan docuseries.

When he was 20, he was imprisoned aft he was wrongfully accused of theft, nan docuseries states, and he was sent to Lecumberri, which is "the toughest and astir feared situation successful Mexico City." After his arrest, Gabriel told authorities astir his past.

"His connection exposes he had a difficult and lonely puerility pinch nary guidance aliases family support," nan narrator says. "He lacked a well-integrated home."

"At 13, he was forced to activity arsenic a helper successful nan location of a leader who molested him, propositioned him," nan narrator reveals.

Known arsenic “El Divo de Juárez" successful portion because of his flamboyant style, Gabriel was calved successful Michoacán and spent overmuch of his puerility successful Ciudad Juárez. He died connected Aug, 28, 2016 of a bosom attack.

When he was alive, Juan Gabriel ne'er publically stated he was molested by a priest.

Per nan docuseries' description, "Rare videos and exclusive interviews uncover nan genius, sacrifices and duality betwixt nan nationalist and backstage lives of iconic singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel."

Across nan 4 episodes, viewers person entree to Juan Gabriel for illustration ne'er earlier arsenic they're taken connected a travel from nan beginnings of his profession to his death.

“What makes this task unsocial is being immersed successful nan 2 personas: nan backstage and nan nationalist figure,” head María José Cuevas told Billboard Español in a caller interview. “Juan Gabriel was music. Alberto Aguilera Valadez [his existent name] was his pause.”

Juan Gabriel released his debut medium El Alma Joven in 1971 astatine property 21, and he roseate to go 1 of Latin music's astir prolific artists, trading complete 100 cardinal records worldwide. His 1984 album, Recuerdos, Vol. II, had sold 8 cardinal copies astatine nan clip of his death, making it Mexico's all-time best-selling album, per Rolling Stone. He received his prima connected nan Hollywood Walk of Fame successful May 2002.

Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will is streaming now connected Netflix.