AMERICA/MEXICO-"Respect for migrants' asked by the Bishop of Cordoba

Cordoba (Agenzia Fides) - The safety and respect for life are necessary for Central American migrants who cross the lands of Veracruz, and it is our duty to give them hospitality to make their journey easier, although this phenomenon could be avoided if every country would create mechanisms to generate jobs: said the Bishop of the diocese of Cordoba, His Exc. Mgr. Eduardo Patiño Leal, during a press conference.
According to a note sent to Fides, the Bishop considered the governor's meeting with Father Javier Duarte de Ochoa with Fr. Alejandro Solalinde Guerra, who runs the Migrant’s house ("Hermanos en el Camino") positive, to order to find useful strategies to protect migrants who must travel through Veracruz. "Such meetings can help to avoid tragedies, kidnappings, extortions and killings of migrants, which should not occur in any place, because they are reprehensible acts", said the Bishop. "The first right of the migrant is not to emigrate. If you must leave, you must be able to rely on the security and respect for one’s life and health", added Mgr. Patiño Leal talking to the local press. The parishes of the diocese provide concrete assistance to migrants, with food or other attention to their needs (see Fides 27/6/2011).
According to the local press, what continues to cause consternation is the recording disclosed by Father Alejandro Solalinde Guerra which reports the conversation with a former member of organized crime in which he describes the modus operandi for attacking immigrants and how to deal with the authorities of Veracruz. One of the people who has heard this recording and who was very impressed is Navi Pillay, head of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, who was very embarrassed for the recent kidnappings of registered migrants in Mexico, attributed to the group "Los Zetas". (EC) (Agenzia Fides 07/07/2011)