Mexican Pro-Migrant Priest Flees Death Threats

MEXICO CITY -- An outspoken priest who runs a shelter for migrants in southern Mexico has temporarily left his facility after receiving death threats, the shelter coordinator said Monday.

The "Hermanos en el Camino" shelter run by the Rev. Alejandro Solalinde said in a statement that the Roman Catholic priest is "protecting his physical safety" until state and federal prosecutors thoroughly investigate the threats.

The shelter said Solalinde is expected to return to his work, but didn't say when.

"International human rights organization that work closely with Solalinde suggested he go away for a while," said Jose Alberto Donis, who coordinates activities at the shelter.

Donis said the most recent threat came on April 15.

Prosecutors in southern Oaxaca state have said they are investigating and are providing police security for Solalinde.

Solalinde has become widely known in Mexico for publicly denouncing corruption and abuse of mainly Central American migrants who cross into Mexico seeking to reach the United States.

Last year, he took the unusual step of publicly implicating the violent Zetas drug cartel in the kidnapping of migrants. He also criticized corrupt police.

"His comments made candidates and organized crime gangs uncomfortable," Donis said.

Also Monday, a group of experts from the U.N. and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called on Mexico to approve a proposed law to defend human rights advocates.

Margaret Sekaggya, the United Nations special investigator for the treatment of human rights defenders, said such activists in Mexico "desperately need the state's effective protection now. "

"They continue to suffer killings, attacks, harassment, threats, stigmatization and other serious human rights violations," she said.

Also on HuffPost:

SLIDESHOW: Our Lady of Guadalupe Festivals

Loading Slideshow

• Procession

  An annual Los Angeles procession in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe draws thousands of worshipers, some in Indian attire carrying banners of Mexico's patron saint as well the Mexican flag.

• The Traditional Story

  The celebration includes music, dancing, prayer and scenes from the traditional story of the Virgin Mary's apparition before an impoverished Indian named Juan Diego in December 1531.

• Costumes And Dance

  The Virgin Mary's apparition as an Indian woman was said to be recorded on Juan Diego's cloak during the encounter on a hilltop on the outskirts of Mexico City. For centuries, the image of the dark-skinned virgin has endured as a symbol of unity and hope for believers throughout the world.

• Stadium Mass

  The yearly procession is followed by a Mass celebrated at the East Los Angeles Community College Stadium.

• A Gathering Of Clergy

  This year's procession will be followed by a Mass celebrated by the head of the Los Angeles Archdiocese as well as auxiliary bishops and other clergy members.

• The Virgin and Her Followers

  The annual procession in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe brings together thousands of Catholics from diverse ethnic communities. It is the oldest religious procession in Los Angeles.

• Colorful Celebration

  The colorful procession is part religious ceremony, part celebration of Mexico's rich indigenous history.

Comments

[holyghostie]

11:50 PM on 05/15/2012

Finally Huffpo Latino writes a story pointing out the horrible Mexican treatment of illegals and their own poor people. Instead of forcing people to flee Mexico....Huffpo should write everyday a story holding the Mexican elites and politicians responsible for improving the quality of life for their people
so they can stay there. There is no place like home.

[jose lugo]

07:05 PM on 05/15/2012

He is PRO-delinquents

[CrestedSparrow]

11:44 PM on 05/15/2012

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

[ugly american]

12:24 AM on 05/16/2012

Is that what they call undocumented immigrants there? Here we call them illegal aliens and what a coincidence...they come from South of Us too! But here we just deport them...

[CrestedSparrow]

11:48 AM on 05/17/2012

The only "illegal aliens" in the USA are those whose ancestors can be traced to Europe. We call them ugly americans.

[mbrahms26]

04:31 PM on 05/15/2012

No surprise here. The Catholic church supports "open borders", i.e., unlimited illegal immigration into the USA. This priest protects Central Americans (mostly Catholic) in their quest to enter the USA illegally. The ultimate goal is citizenship for milllions of illegals and the conversion of the USA from an Anglo-Celtic Protestant country into a Hispanic Catholic one.

[CrestedSparrow]

11:46 PM on 05/15/2012

Never did the article mention that he supports illegal immigration, but it's clear how you feel about THOSE PEOPLE! At least he is true to his calling and by the looks of it, you are true to yours.

[mbrahms26]

09:05 AM on 05/16/2012

He represents his church, which demands open borders and provides santuaries for illegals. As for "THOSE PEOPLE", if they were clustering in enclaves of the rich instead of in working class areas like mine, breaking into cars and homes, and "shaping up" on street corners looking for work once done by Americans, there would be no illegals in this country. Illegal immigration is part and parcel of the class warfare waged against the American working class for many years now. And yes, I want THOSE PEOPLE out of my community and out of my country. I want to see the laws enforced. You, apparently, do not.