Las Patronas: tender una mano al migrante

A Story of Cruelty and Kindness: Las Patronas

Key Concepts:

• Las Patronas: A group of women in Amatlán de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico, who provide food and support to migrants traveling on "La Bestia."
• La Bestia (The Beast): A freight train used by migrants to travel through Mexico towards the US border. Known for its dangers, including derailments, mutilations, and criminal activity.
• Migration: The movement of people from one place to another, often due to violence, poverty, or lack of opportunity.
• Solidarity: Unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group.

1. Introduction and Context:

• The video introduces Las Patronas, a group of women who have been providing food and assistance to migrants for 25 years.
• The setting is Amatlán de los Reyes, Veracruz, Mexico, a location along the route of "La Bestia."
• "La Bestia" is described as a dangerous train used by migrants from Central America seeking to reach the United States. It carries merchandise from the southern border bordering Central America to the northern border of Mexico.
• The train is notorious for accidents, injuries, and criminal activity targeting migrants.

2. The Origin Story:

• In 1995, Leonila Vázquez's daughters encountered hungry migrants and shared their bread and milk.
• This act of kindness inspired Leonila and her daughters to start preparing and distributing food to migrants along the train tracks.
• Initially, they used their own limited resources to make "lonches" (lunches) for the migrants.
• Leonila Vázquez: "They told me that they wanted the bread, that there were days that they didn't come with me. Then we greeted them and they grabbed it and they liked it."
• Gladys: "I'm thinking that if we're going to do something, for the people who go up, let's make some lunches, and we're going to give them."

3. The Evolution of Las Patronas:

• What began as a small act of charity evolved into a structured operation involving neighbors and volunteers.
• The process now includes careful handling, organization, cooking, and packaging of food to ensure quality and hygiene.
• Las Patronas emphasize the importance of love and joy in their work.
• Las Patronas: "It was a sensation of pleasure because we knew that someone was going to enjoy those tacos that we had made with a lot of love."

4. Challenges and Difficulties:

• Las Patronas have witnessed the harsh realities of migration, including accidents and injuries.
• They recount a specific incident involving a 17-year-old boy named Cristóbal who lost his leg after falling from the train.
• Las Patronas provided support and helped him obtain a prosthesis.
• The women also highlight the exploitation and violence faced by migrants, including being thrown off the train for not paying fees.

5. Expanding Support:

• Las Patronas' work has expanded beyond providing food to include medical assistance and human rights advocacy.
• They emphasize that migrants are treated as family members from the moment they arrive.
• They collaborate with support networks to provide comprehensive assistance to migrants.
• Las Patronas: "When a migrant passes that gate that is at the entrance, from the moment he enters he is one more brother, he is one more member of the family."

6. Community Involvement and Volunteerism:

• The video highlights the role of volunteers, including Julia, who help with various tasks, such as preparing food and coordinating with contacts along the train route.
• Migrants who have received assistance often become volunteers themselves.
• Julia: "Our afternoon help is impossible not to be filled with mixed feelings with the sound of the train and run with the baskets and with the illusion that that day a migrant is thus his hunger with this cold cut."

7. Critique of Indifference and Call to Action:

• Las Patronas criticize the indifference of some train operators and governments towards the plight of migrants.
• They call on governments to address the root causes of migration and find solutions through dialogue and cooperation.
• They advocate for humane treatment of migrants and challenge the negative stereotypes associated with them.
• Las Patronas: "I would say that these governments what they have to do is look for a solution to a problem that if they can do it they have the power to do it."

8. The Role of Women:

• Las Patronas believe that their work is particularly suited to women, who possess a nurturing and empathetic nature.
• They see themselves as maternal figures, providing care and protection to vulnerable migrants.
• Las Patronas: "We consider that if we had not existed the women I think that this would not have been carried out because it is difficult for them to interact perhaps with a demo for a year or two years but many years no and being a woman is very different because we as women apart from being mothers apart from being daughters we have a feeling more that is love that we are like a hen not that we want to embrace everyone and cover them so that nothing happens to them because that is what happens to me not every time right now those who are with us those who have already left leave but one is left with that feeling that God wherever they go please take care of them"

9. Invitation to Participate:

• Las Patronas invite viewers to visit and volunteer at their shelter to experience their work firsthand.
• They emphasize that everyone can contribute in some way, whether through donations or by sharing their time and skills.
• They encourage people to overcome fear and connect with others, particularly those in need.
• Las Patronas: "I invite people to give themselves the opportunity to know the other because today we no longer have the opportunity and smile at the other because we are afraid because fear is paralyzing many of us we still have a lot to do but we have to give ourselves the time we have to give ourselves as the idea says to say I want to help but I do not know where to look look where there is already a path and here is a path"

10. Synthesis/Conclusion:

Las Patronas' story is a powerful example of compassion and solidarity in the face of adversity. Their 25 years of unwavering dedication to helping migrants highlights the importance of human connection and the potential for positive change, even in the midst of cruelty and injustice. The video serves as a call to action, urging viewers to challenge indifference, support vulnerable populations, and work towards a more just and humane world.