AMERICA/MEXICO - Award to "Las Patronas": recognition for solidarity with migrants

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Veracruz (Agenzia Fides) - The historian Jean Meyer Barth, Bishop Raul Vera Lopez and "Las Patronas", a group of women who provide food and assistance to migrants crossing the center of Veracruz, will receive the Medal of Merit of the Universidad Veracruzana ( UV), as the central event of the International Fair of the University Book (FILU) 2016, which will take place from April 22 to May 1.
Jean Meyer, historian, is professor emeritus at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE), and founder and member of the Faculty of History. Mgr. José Raul Vera Lopez, OP. has been the Bishop of the diocese of Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico) since 30 December 1999. Previously, as coadjutor Bishop of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, he attended - together with Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia in the peace process after the Zapatista uprising.
In his pastoral work he emphasizes the defense of Human Rights, support for the improvement of miners' work, the help to migrants through the "Frontera with Justicia" project and the creation of the Diocesan Centre for Human Rights "Fray Juan de Larios".
Las Patronas are a group of women volunteers of the community La Patrona, municipality of Amatlán de los Reyes. Since 1995 they have been offering food and assistance to migrants on their way through the state, especially those that get the train known as "The Beast".
Thanks to this selfless work, they were awarded the National Prize for Human Rights 2013, as well as receiving the Princess of the Asturias solidarity Award (see Fides 03/08/2015). (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 05/04/2016)