By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
May 29, 2018
Laredo, Texas - Peaceful protests continue in Laredo by people seeking justice for undocumented immigrant Claudia Patricia Gómez González, 20, originally from San Juan Ostuncalco, Guatemala who was fatally shot behind the head on Wednesday, May 23rd by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Rio Bravo, which is about 13 miles South of Laredo in Webb County. The U.S. Border Patrol agent has been identified as Romualdo Barrera, who is a 15-year veteran for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Agent Barrera has hired George Altgelt, a Laredo local attorney to represent him as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Texas Rangers continue to investigate González's death as a homicide, according to a video report by Lagordiloca News Laredo TX Facebook page.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) hasn't officially released Agent Barrera's full name and photo, but his name has been circulating in multiple Laredo protests organized by local immigrant right groups seeking justice for González.
Agent Barrera at first gave a preliminary report that he was attacked by a group of undocumented immigrants with a blunt object (a 2x4 piece of lumber), but later the CBP revised their press release saying that the agent was attacked and didn't mention any weapons used by the undocumented immigrants.
Marta Martinez, the woman who posted multiple videos from the crime scene says, that authorities didn't find any 2x4 pieces of lumber where Agent Barrera killed González because there were none. Martinez confirmed that González was faced down on the grassy area adjacent to her property and bleeding from her left side of her face. González had suffered a fatal bullet wound from behind the head. Martinez heard at least one shot fired, but another witness heard several shots.
The Webb County Coroner's office only identified González as the victim, but didn't release any details about how she died or injuries from the fatal shooting.
At least three other undocumented male immigrants were taken into custody in the area, but no details have been released by the CBP, FBI or the Texas Rangers about their testimony concerning the González death.
The three other undocumented men that accompanied González and detained were identified by the Guatemalan government as Ader Cabrera Sánchez, 18, Carlos Pérez Vicente, 20, and Damian Mendez Peñalonzo, 18. Apparently, one of the aunts of the victim told a news media outlet that a smuggler was had charged more than $11,000 dollars to smuggle González into the U.S.
The three other undocumented men that accompanied González and detained were identified by the Guatemalan government as Ader Cabrera Sánchez, 18, Carlos Pérez Vicente, 20, and Damian Mendez Peñalonzo, 18. Apparently, one of the aunts of the victim told a news media outlet that a smuggler was had charged more than $11,000 dollars to smuggle González into the U.S.
According to González's mother, her daughter left to the U.S. to seek employment because there was no work in her village. Yosimar Morales, González's fiancé who resides in Alexandria, Virginia says, that he hadn't seen her for a year and that she was coming to the U.S. to meet up with him and get married. González had recently graduated as an accountant in Guatemala, but couldn't find a job, so she decided to travel to the U.S.
González's parents including Morales are mourning the death of Claudia. They are now seeking justice for González.
González's parents including Morales are mourning the death of Claudia. They are now seeking justice for González.
Crossing into the U.S. without legal status for the first time is a federal civil offense, which might result in deportation depending on the circumstances and is not a federal criminal offense.
The CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are known as the most corrupt U.S. Department of Homeland Security agencies in the U.S., which rogue agents have killed undocumented immigrants while in custody and none have been charged or prosecuted in those murders.
In June 2010, an undocumented man who died while being deported by U.S. Custom and Border Protection agents was ruled a homicide. The San Diego Medical Examiner's Office reported that Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, 32, died of cardiac arrest shortly after being beaten with a baton and then tasered by multiple agents after he resisted from being deported into Mexico. Rojas was handcuffed and his legs were bound as well. His family after years of seeking justice received $1M in a lawsuit, but none of the agents who were involved in Rojas homicide were never charged or prosecuted for his murder.
According to CNN, the CBP has failed to account for 564 deaths in border crossing's stats into the U.S.
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