In his Report of the First Voyage, Christopher Columbus treats the Amerindians he encounters not as human beings, but as tools – mechanisms he exploits to achieve a specific purpose. Columbus did not attempt to sail around the world in the name of exploration; rather, he set out to find a maritime route to Asia, one that would give Europe access to luxury Asian markets. Thus, his predisposition towards lucrative opportunity influenced the way that he viewed the New World and its inhabitants. Relating his first encounter with the natives of Hispaniola, he writes, “I took by force some of them in order that they might learn [Castilian] and give me information of what they had in those parts” [1]. Columbus forcibly apprehends an American in order to exploit his knowledge of local resources (which Columbus plans to pillage). Not only does this demonstrate flagrant disregard of basic ethical standards of conduct, it affirms Columbus’s intent as a pillager – a raider in the name of Spain. He wants nothing more than to push his way into the lucrative Asian spice trade, casting aside the humanity of anyone in his path. This attitude is further asserted by Columbus’s proclamation as he lands in the New World for the first time: “…all of them I have taken possession for their Highness, by proclamation and with the royal standard displayed, and nobody objected” [1]. Intent on claiming land, Columbus subjects the inhabitants of Hispaniola to his way of life, his culture, and his national identity. He abstains from peaceful negotiations with the natives, and instead imposes Spain on an unwilling and unknowing people. To Columbus, Amerindians are simply pawns to be controlled as he seeks to find his own wealth and fame. They are things to be Christianized, exploited, and made to bend knee to the Spanish (and by association, Columbus), despite the fact that they, too, are humans with their own diverse experiences, culture, and way of life. References: [1] https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/contact/text1/columbusletter.pdf

he sold children into sex slavery...

Though people demonize him, and I won't say he was an angel. But many things he is accused of was written by people who did not meet or see him do the things they accuse him of or Columbus was dead when the thing written down. Some of the most horrible lines attributed to him are actually mis-translations or misinterpreted. The child sex slavery was him writing a report complaining about it not supporting it. The making the natives "slaves" is incorrect, the word means servant or subject meaning someone who is ruled by the Spanish crown or servents to God. Columbus is a complicated man but not a villain

Was Christopher Columbus a villain? The best way to answer this is with another question. Were the natives he conquered also villains? They also performed brutal acts and did unthinkable things not just to each other but to other tribes. In fact, many of the things Columbus did do were things every group in history are guilty of perpetuating but you wouldn't call every collective group on this earth villainous. He was a person guilty of good and bad things in a totally different age with totally different morals than we have now and I'm honest enough to say we can't just simply look back and point the finger one way or another.