Torture refers to the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, whether physical or psychological, as a means of punishment, coercion, or obtaining information. In the context of the Inquisition in the Americas, torture was used as a tool by authorities to enforce religious conformity and extract confessions from alleged heretics. This practice reflected the broader climate of fear and repression aimed at maintaining control over newly converted populations and combating perceived threats to Catholic orthodoxy.
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