Jesus was a migrant too. A phrase that Father Gustavo Rodríguez Zárate used to refer to the Central American migrants who arrived to the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, in La Libertad, Puebla.

Father Gustavo Rodríguez passed away Thursday, June 24, victim of cancer, informed the Archdiocese of Puebla.

The priest was the coordinator of the Pastoral de Migrantes de la Arquidiócesis (Archdiocese’s Migrant Pastoral). For years, he was one of the main defenders of migrants, both nationals and from Central America, especially from Honduras and El Salvador.

The church of Asunción served as a shelter for migrant caravans arriving in the city. The last, and largest, arrived in November 2018, when about 1,200 migrants spent several days in Puebla.

The work of Father Gustavo will be remembered for his defense and protection of the migrants’ human rights.

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In 2018, Father Gustavo officiated a wedding outside of the Iglesia de la Señora de la Asunción church, as the migrant caravan with 1,200 members remained inside. Photo: Lizeth Flores Jácome.

Father Gus, as he was also known, was a promoter of the Antorcha Guadalupana (Guadalupana Torch) and representative of the Pastoral de Movilidad Humana (Human Mobility Pastoral) in Puebla.


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