PBI Mexico would like to express its concern for the security of Father Alejandro Solalinde Guerra and members of the Hermanos en el Camino migrant shelter which he coordinates. PBI accompanies Father Solalinde.

This week Father Solalinde has reported that, on December 19 2010 at around six in the evening, members of criminal organisations threatened to break into the shelter for migrants in Ciudad Ixtepec, Oaxaca. They demanded that the migrants who had reported the assault, theft and kidnapping of around 80 migrants last Thursday turn themselves over to the gang members.

In this context of high risk, Father Solalinde has requested - and received - the support of the National Human Rights Commission, the Oaxaca State Police, the Vice Attorney of the Istmo de Tehuantepec region and the Mexican Army in protecting the shelter and its migrants.

Since Hermanos en el Camino opened in 2007, the priest has been victim of various attacks, threats, defamation and harassment due to his humanitarian work for migrants in transit towards the United States, and due to the reports which he has made about the aggressions which they suffer.

On April 23, 2010, the Inter-American Human Rights Commission authorised precautionary measures in favour of Father Solalinde and his team in order that the Mexican State might adopt the necessary measures to guarantee their safety.

PBI has accompanied the priest and his team since July 2010, due to the insecurity which they face and the necessity for a complete implementation of their precautionary measures and for complete and efficient investigations of the reports which they have made.

For more information about the reports made by Padre Solalinde this week, see the following article (in Spanish): www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/732331.html.