For Latino Activists

Latino Activists Will Lead A 241 Mile March Against Iraq War

Main Contacts:



Primara: Pablo Paredes (619) 857-4947

pablopare@gmail.com



Victor Paredes (917) 864-9179

vicparedes@msn.com



On March 12, 2006 Fernando Suarez del Solar, Pablo Paredes, Camilo Mejia and Aidan Delgado will lead a coalition of the willing across a 241 mile quest for peace that aims at raising Latino voice of opposition to the War in Iraq.



The March will run from Tijuana, Mexico all the way to The Mission district of San Francisco making strategic, symbolic and ceremonial stops along the way. The 241 mile march is inspired by Gandhi’s 1930 Salt March protesting British imperialism and will serve as a loud cry for an end to the bloodshed in Iraq.



Latinos represent nearly 15% of the US population, 11% of the US military and an estimated 20% of the fallen service members in Iraq. The Latino population is a growing force in the US and their voice must be an active part of the more than 60% of US citizens that oppose the war in Iraq.



That’s why on March 12th, 4 Latinos of different ages, nationalities and hometowns will come together to lead the Latino community in a loud and definitive call for an end to the war in Iraq. Because of their unique experiences with this war; Fernando, Pablo, Camilo and Aidan are dedicated to working to end the bloodshed in Iraq.



Fernando Suarez del Solar is the father of one of the first Latinos to die in Iraq: Jesus Suarez del Solar.



Fernando discovered that Jesus was the victim of an illegal US cluster bomb through a well know recent victim of the war, (co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight) Bob Woodruff.



Pablo Paredes is a Navy war resister who refused boarding an Iraq bound ship on Dec. 6th 2004. He was court martialed, sentenced and eventually discharged.



Camilo Mejia served one tour in Iraq and then became a National Guard war resister. He was jailed for nine months for his opposition to the war.



Aidan Delgado is a Conscientious Objector of the Iraq war. He served at Abu Gharib and now tours the country with slide shows of the prison abuses.



These 4 men will lead a 241 mile march that will begin at the birth place of Jesus Suarez del Solar, Tijuana, Mexico, as a symbolic call for peace beyond borders.



The march route is designed to follow Jesus’ footsteps whiling stopping at places with symbolic or historical significance. After departing from Tijuana, the march will head towards Escondido, CA where Jesus was first recruited by the US military and where his body currently rests.



The next major stop will be at the Marine Corps depot from where Jesus and many others have been deployed to Iraq: Camp Pendleton. The intention is to present a symbolic redeployment to peace; therefore the marching caravan will be led from Camp Pendleton to La Paz, CA. La Paz means “peace” in English and is the resting place of a revered Latino leader, Cesar Chavez.



This group of dedicated Latinos will end the march on March 26 at the Mission District of San Francisco with a blood drive to benefit those in need in Iraq (civilian and Military) and a memorial service for Jesus. The blood drive will serve to demonstrate that despite their opposition to the war, they do support our troops and wish for them to come home now and end the bloodshed.



Gandhi’s 241 mile Salt March is one of the most impactful non-violent acts of protest and civil disobedience in pursuit of social justice in history. This legacy has been vibrant in all Latino Social Justice movements such as those led by Cesar Chavez. Fernando, Pablo, Camilo and Aidan wish to rekindle this tradition and put Gandhi’s spirit into practice in search for peace.



All four leaders of this march are available for interviews and all press is invited to cover this historic march for peace.

If it were proved to me that in making war, my ideal had a chance of being realized, I would still say "No" to war. For one does not create human society on mounds of corpses.
Louis Lecoin - French pacifist leader