Source: Vermont Migrant Farmworker Solidarity Project
Chiapas, Mexico-January 19- “He went to Vermont with dreams and hopes to help his family and came back in a box,” said Elida, José Obeth Santiz Cruz’s sister. Through tears Elida watched the box with her brother inside being secured to the back of a pick up truck in Villahermosa airport in Mexico where the body arrived on Monday morning January 11th. This marked the last leg of a long journey to return the Vermont migrant farmworker home to his indigenous Tojolabal community in San Isidro, Chiapas.
The Vermont Migrant Farmworker Solidarity Project (VTMFSP) accompanied the body all the way to José Obeth’s home town of San Isidro. Gustavo Teran, a member of the delegation commented, “I was moved to find that amid the sorrow and grief family members and friends received us with open arms and found time to share their stories of hardships, poverty, and survival in their struggling indigenous Tojolabal agricultural community.” Over the next five days the Vermonters joined in the grieving and also interviewed family members, relatives and friends.
Continue reading at the Vermont Migrant Farmworker Solidarity Project website