Juan Hernandez, Secretary of Migrant and International Affairs of the Government of Guanajuato talked to Gto News on the return of paisanos to Guanaj
Juan Hernandez, Secretary of Migrant and International Affairs of the Government of Guanajuato talked to Gto News on the return of paisanos to Guanajuato and on the programs the Government of Diego Sinhue Rodriguez Vallejo has put up to support Guanajuatenses who live in the United States and in other countries all over the world.
Juan Hernandez, leads his Secretary with great enthusiasm and it is visible, he transmits his enthusiasm, in his visits to Guanajuatense migrants in the United States and in other countries in the world, and also in Guanajuato in his visits to foreigners who live in Guanajuato or to migrants who just go by through our State.
It was with former President Vicente Fox with whom Hernandez started to work with migrants, and now, with Governor Diego Sinhue Rodriguez Vallejo he came back to this work that seems to be almost an apostolate, working with migrants.
By Nicole Ramirez
Juan Hernandez said that Authorities are expecting a historical number of migrants this year, after the limitations on traveling imposed for almost 2 years now amid the Covid 19 pandemic.
Migrants, said Hernandez, come back during this time of the year that is so cherished and warm for families, the period “Guadalupe-Kings” –December 12th to January 6th-.
Up to 100 thousand Guanajuatenses
“We expect to have some 100 thousand Guanajuatenses coming back for year’s end. This number of paisanos coming back means a considerable amount of economic resources, very positive for Guanajuato. Besides the transfer of funds they send to Guanajuato every month; now we will have this spending during their visit here in Guanajuato. But even greater will be the actions of love and care after so many time of not seeing their relatives”, said Juan Hernandez.
The Secretary said that they expect to receive the largest number of migrants in Leon, it is the municipality that receives more migrants as it is the most populated in Guanajuato; also, he said that the State has a lot more communities with relatives of migrants.
To other Municipalities
Other municipalities that are preparing for the arrival of Guanajuatense migrants are:
- San Felipe, Huanimaro, Dolores Hidalgo, even San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato City, said Juan Hernandez.
As the return of migrants is near, Authorities have created some programs to assist the migrant community during their stay in December, Christmas, New Year and the Three Kings celebrations.
Support by experts
Juan Hernandez said that they have a program with some Offices of Notary Public in Guanajuato to help migrants who wish to do their testament while in the State. Also, Hernandez commented that there are agreements with lawyers who are willing to help and solve some legal situations migrants may have and want to take care of, or get birth certificates, or any other legal documents.
“There are some migrants who are building their houses and want some assistance, or they want to start a small business or a bigger business, we can assist them. We also have a variety of investment possibilities, assisted by some State Government Secretaries”, said Hernandez.
Attention 24 hours
“We are ready to help them 24 hours a day during year’s end and New Year 2022. We will have people on guard in case they have any emergency”, said the Secretary.
Juan Hernandez said that thanks to the economic contribution of funds transfers that migrants send from abroad, the Government of Guanajuato worked and found ways to multiply the value of that money and that more families can invest their resources or buy more for it. Hernandez informed that ISSEG created the card -ISSEG Migrante- and said that when families get their money they can get discounts of up to 22% in thousands of ítems on sale at -Farmacias ISSEG-. “The fee charged per transfer is less compared with the fees of other companies that do funds transfers by migrants who send their money to their families in Guanajuato”, said Hernandez.
This program by ISSEG, said Hernandez, makes it posible for the receiver to get the money that was sent to them and they can get more for their money.
Guanajuatenses are moving in the US
Juan hernandez said that the largest community of Guanajuatense migrants abroad is in the area of Dallas-Fort Worth, in Texas. “The Mexican Consulate in the Dallas area tells us of some 330 to 350 thousand Guanajuatenses concentrated only in this area”, said the Secretary.
“In the US there has been an inner migration in which many Guanajuatense migrants have arrived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and then we have concentrated a lot in assisting Guanajuatenses in the areas of Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta, and also in North Carolina”, said Juan Hernandez.
Guanajuatenses get organized
The Secretary also said that there are many migrants clubs in which Guanajuatenses are organized and based on programs and despite the distance they help their communities in Guanajuato.
“Some States like Zacatecas and Michoacan had always been known for creating many clubs of migrants, Now we have passed them through the right and the left, and we already have some three hundred and fifty clubs. Some of them are already recognized as associations or ONGs or non-profit organizations in the US. These groups, since they are already clubs, make it posible that we, as the Secretary of Migrant and through the policies of the Government, create programs of support to the migrant and their families”, said Juan Hernandez.
Donations for communities
“During the pandemic caused by Covid19, some of these clubs organized donation events to give them directly to the State DIF system and sometimes these donations were delivered through ISSEG so that the aid was delivered directly to the families of migrants”, said the Secretary.
Hernandez said that the clubs of migrants go on working to construct infrastructure for their communities. “It is not 3 to 1 no more, because the Federal Government doesn’t copperate no more, but it is now 2 to 1. With this program if any club wants to build some infrastructure in its community, the club contributes with one part, the Secretary of Migrant contributes with one part and the Municipality contributes with one part. That is why it is called 2 to 1 now and these resources are used in infrastructure that is needed in the community they choose”, said Juan Hernandez.
Entrepreneurs
“Thanks to these programs, thousands of micro-enterprises have been created, where the migrant club and the Governments contribute. In some cases these migrants have learned some abilities in the US and when they come back to Guanajuato they decide to work with these abilities and we are there to help them and together we make of Guanajuato the Greatness of Mexico”, said the Secretary.
“The Government of Guanajuato is working to have a constant participation and also support through protocols of assistance ‘in transit’ migrants from other countries who go through Guanajuato on their way to find the American Dream”, said Juan Hernandez.
A message
Juan Hernandez expressed a welcome message to those who are getting ready to return to Guanajuato and to those who are not returning despite the almost two years they have been physically absent mainly because of the pandemic.
“We are waiting for you with much love, as you know well. We are waiting for you with this caravan of vehicles that is departing from Laredo, Texas on December 8th, and which will go through many States of Mexico and will arrive in Guanajuato. We are sending an ambulance to assist them. We are talking about hundreds and hundreds of vehicles, perhaps more than one thousand”, said the Secretary.
Keep protecting yourself
“We are here waiting for you, for the Guadalupe-Kings period, from the Virgin of Guadalupe festivities to the Three Kings festivity on January 6th. We are here to assist you. We love you so much, but please take care of yourself. We are still in a moment when we must take care of ourselves against Covid. So, please, take care. Wear a face-mask. We want to hug our relatives, hug them, but then we must keep our distance, because the situation of contagion has not finished and we don’t want you to get sick and God bless you so much. We´ll see you soon. We are here to assist you”, said Juan Hernandez, the Secretary of Migrant and International Affairs of the Government of Guanajuato.
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