Sebastian went to Canada to escape violence in Mexico; Instead found death and his family asks AMLO for help

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His family seeks to repatriate the body but it costs them 12 thousand Canadian dollars that the Mexican consulate in Montreal has denied them. 

After fleeing violence in southeastern Mexico, Sebastián González Díaz sought refuge in Canada, where he found death. Now his family seeks to repatriate the body to its place of origin, but it costs them 12 thousand Canadian dollars that the Mexican consulate in Montreal has denied them.

On December 27, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the Mexican government will not eliminate resources for the repatriation of corpses of nationals and reaffirmed that this will be the responsibility of Mexico.

“It is our responsibility that nothing is missing for those who lose their lives in another country, for Mexicans to be taken care of. It is the responsibility of the consulates and there should be no budgetary limitations.

“Let this remain as an instruction, as a memorandum: all the funeral expenses of migrants are borne by the government of the Republic,” said the Chief Executive of the Federal Executive on December 27 at his daily morning press conference.

Now, María José Barragán demands that the Mexican president keep his word and be supported in order to take the body of her husband, Sebastián González Díaz, from Montreal, Canada, to Tabasco.

The consul of Mexico in Montreal, Alejandro Estivil, notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) of the case, pending instructions, since the authorization to support these types of situations is $ 1,800.

According to diplomatic sources, the problem with the instruction of the President of the Republic, which he left even as a verbal memorandum, is that there is a regulation on the repatriation of bodies of Mexicans who die outside the country.

“The rule has to be modified and so far no official communication on the matter has reached diplomatic representations,” said a source from the Foreign Ministry.

In accordance with current regulations, financial support is provided when a Mexican dies outside the country, as long as his relatives demonstrate that they are in a condition of vulnerability and cannot cover repatriation.

A diplomat, who asked to omit his name to avoid reprisals, said that the problem with a large number of nationals is that they have accidents by car or work, for example, and insurance companies give them cash to cover expenses until repatriation, and in spite of this it is possible to find that the corresponding consulate also covers expenses.

To avoid abuse, the Mexican consular authorities do not make cash payments to the debtors, but cover the expense directly with the funeral home.

When a migrant dies in his attempt to arrive irregularly to the United States, the Mexican authority does cover the cost of repatriation of the body, due to the circumstance in which the incident occurred.

Resultado de imagen para sabastian canada

Sebastian’s story

Sebastián González Díaz had a year living in Montreal, Canada, where he arrived accompanied by his wife, María Barragán, and their two little daughters, today six and four years old.

The 25-year-old was living in Cancun, Quintana Roo, where he fled because of violence.

He arrived in Canada and made a request for refuge for himself and his family, which was accepted by the Canadian immigration authority.

The González Barragán family was living under the protection of the Canadian immigration authority, which provides, to those who are waiting for the refuge to be granted or not, financial support.

Last June, Sebastian had news that his brother was killed in Cancun.

“This family arrived in Montreal in a very complicated situation. Sebastian had depression and stress that was not treated, ”said Emiliano Ortega, a Mexican broadcaster in Montreal, who is also dedicated to supporting the Latin American immigrant community in that part of the country.
Sebastian got a job and, receiving more money than was provided by government assistance, the support was withdrawn.

However, Emiliano Ortega said, the problem for this family is that Sebastian was taken away from work and at the end of November he lost his job, so he again requested government support, but was denied because, according to what perceived during the time he worked, he could arrive next February, when he would be supported again.

However, this young man decided, on December 25, to take his own life.

“He left his wife and two daughters in distress because he was the livelihood. María José does not speak English or French, neither does girls. The apartment where they lived lost him and now they live with a friend who has only one bed, a table with two chairs and now, ”said Emiliano Ortega.

After Sebastian’s death, the body remained in the morgue until last December 30.

The consulate of Mexico in that region was used to request consular support, however, the answer was that you cannot help with the total cost of repatriation, but first of all you have to determine if it is a case of vulnerability or not.

The consulate did not completely disregard the matter. Sebastian’s body remains, since December 30, in a funeral home that consular staff helped to contact.

Consul Alejandro Estivil sent a “extra urgent” communication to the Mexican Foreign Ministry to comment that Mrs. María José Barragán appeared at the consulate to request that the Mexican government comply with the entire cost of repatriation of the body to its place of origin, this in compliance with what President Andrés Manuel López Obrador promised.

He even commented that Gustavo Alcocer, deputy visitor of the Human Rights Commission of Tabasco, called the consulate to request information about the case since Sebastian’s family turned to this institution to request support.

To this is added that, for religious reasons, the family does not authorize the body to be cremated.

Consul Alejandro Estivil has requested instructions from the Mexican Foreign Ministry to know how to act in the case because the cost of repatriation is about US $ 8,000, when the authorized amount is 1,800 in cases of proven vulnerability.

The body of Sebastián González may remain at the funeral home until next Sunday, January 5, when the family must get the money.

For now, detailed Emiliano Ortega, economic support is sought through organizations, the Church and has been able to raise about 2 thousand 800 Canadian dollars, when the goal is 12 thousand.

Source: elimparcial.com

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