March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2 San Antonio, Tejas
People Before PoliticsOur autocratic government has turned on its people sending armed forces (ICE & U.S. Border Patrol) to invade our cities—assaulting and killing immigrants and citizens. As of this writing, 8 people have either been killed by federal agents or have died while in custody this year. In 2025, 32 persons were killed—the highest since 2004. The murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti (10 shots fired into his body) in January, 2026 opened the public’s eyes to the cruel nature of our administration. The people of the Twin Cities in Minnesota have shown us their courage in confronting the reign of terror exhibited by Operation Metro Surge that has been forced to start withdrawing. They chose to protect their neighbors at all costs. We must, however, remain vigilant with open eyes and ears as the atrocities will surely continue. This is the state of our nation. Write to:[email protected] La Voz deEsperanzaMarch 2026Vol. 39 Issue 2Editor: Gloria A. RamírezLayout: Elizandro CarringtonContributorsFrank Archuleta, Norma Elia Cantú, Dino Foxx, Andrea Greimel, Susan Morales Guerra, Lisa Mersky, Jovanni L. Reyes, Rogelio Saenz Esperanza DirectorGraciela I. SánchezEsperanza StaffRichard Aguilar, Sherry Campos, Arabella Chávez, Elizandro Carrington, Jacob Mena, Kayla Miranda, Nonye Okoye, René Saenz, Imane Saliba, Luissana Santibañez, Susana Segura, Rosa VegaConjunto de Nepantleras—Esperanza Board of Directors—Rachel Jennings, Dennise Frausto, Amy Kastely, Sylvia Mendoza, Ana Lucía Ramírez, Gloria A. Ramírez, Rudy Rosales, Lilliana Saldaña, Nadine Saliba, Graciela I. Sánchez• We advocate for a wide variety of social, economic & environmental justice issues.• Opinions expressed in La Voz are not necessarily those of the Esperanza Center.La Voz de Esperanza Esperanza Peace & Justice Center922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.orgInquiries/Articles can be sent to:[email protected] due by the 8th of each monthPolicy Statements* We ask that articles be visionary, progressive, instructive & thoughtful. Submissions must be literate & critical; not sexist, racist, homophobic, violent, or oppressive & may be edited for length.* All letters in response to Esperanza activities or articles in La Voz will be considered for publication. Letters with intent to slander individuals or groups will not be published.Para el Día internacional de la mujer, March 8thMore than a 100 years ago, Sara Estela Ramírez, La Musa Tejana, wrote “¡Surge!” dedicated “a la mujer” in my hometown of Laredo, Tejas. All these years later, I weep at the thought of so many women still suffering, still living in oppressive homes, still yearning for freedom from fear, still wondering why they cannot achieve their dreams. Ramírez died in Laredo at about twentynine years of age, twelve years after immigrating to Texas from Mexico. A teacher and journalist, an activist and visionary, she belonged to Regeneración y Concordia, a feminist group that was linked to the PLM (Partido Liberal Mexicano) and Ricardo Flores Magón. A close friend of Jovita Idar, she is an ancestor we must not forget.Sara Estela, you live on in your poetryOnly on earth for a short time, you left a legacy and a challenge. Si tú pudiste como poeta,Como activista,Levanter tu voz,¿Por qué otres no?Ese reto nos dejaste:¡Surge! You urgedWomen. ¡Surge!We shall! —Norma Elia Cantú2VOZ VISION STATEMENT: La Voz de Esperanza speaks for many individual, progressive voices who are gente-based, multi-visioned and milagro-bound. We are diverse survivors of materialism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, classism, violence, earth-damage, speciesism and cultural and political oppression. We are recapturing the powers of alliance, activism and healthy conflict in order to achieve interdependent economic/spiritual healing and fuerza. La Voz is a resource for peace, justice, and human rights, providing a forum for criticism, information, education, humor and other creative works. La Voz provokes bold actions in response to local and global problems, with the knowledge that the many risks we take for the earth, our body, and the dignity of all people will result in profound change for the seven generations to come.ATTENTION VOZ READERS: If you have a mailing address correction please send it to [email protected]. If you want to be removed from the La Voz mailing list, for whatever reason, please let us know. La Voz is provided as a courtesy to people on the mailing list of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The subscription rate is $35 per year ($100 for institutions). The cost of producing and mailing La Voz has substantially increased and we need your help to keep it afloat. To help, send in your subscriptions, sign up as a monthly donor, or send in a donation to the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Thank you. -GARLA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•
Stories of My People:Minnesotans, Stay Warm and Stay SafeBy Andrea Greimel, San Antonio, TXI stand with the residents of the place where I was born and raised— a Minneapolis suburb where Nine Mile Creek runs through a forest. I left after college to travel—in Québec, France, Guatemala and México—ultimately landing in San Antonio to teach young bilingual children on the Westside for over 30 years. The hard-working families there are gente in spirit much like my family and community in Minnesota who prepared me to do the work I came to do in San Antonio.My aunt and uncle (who’s an immigrant from Germany) have owned The Black Forest Inn, a German restaurant at the corner of 26th and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis for about 60 years. Outside that restaurant, is where federal agents murdered Alex Pretti on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Mourners have since constructed a large memorial in the street for all to gather in grief. The family has opened their restaurant doors to welcome community, serving hot coffee and soup, providing clean restrooms and a warm place to convene. It’s clearly not business as usual.On January 21st, one of their daughters, my cousin, on her way to work at the restaurant, was suddenly surrounded by armed ICE agents. They smashed her window and dragged her out of the car onto a snowbank, cuffed her, and took her to the Whipple Federal Detention Center, leaving her car running with her purse and phone in it. Observers there notified her family of the kidnapping. They are trained to secure vehicles and personal belongings of those snatched off the streets. My cousin was held in detention for 4 hours then released. My aunt says, “From our perspective, …it has been an avalanche of resistance and of care and kindness toward each other… everyone in Minneapolis and beyond has been showing up to be a witness… Everywhere we hear of food support and more offered to homebound people.” Since November, Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, has been occupied by a heavily armed and masked, roving, violent and lawless force of 3000 agents sent to terrorize and quash all who voice their dissent of the Trump administration’s actions. Reasons given for the terrorism include: the need to detain and deport violent criminal immigrants, to root out fraud and to force the state to enforce federal immigration law, though they’re not accomplishing any of these. The unstated reason for imposing terror is to instill widespread fear so that people will give up their rights, give up on democracy and give up on each other—then Trump can exercise absolute power. Operation Metro Surge has instilled widespread fear, but the people of Minnesota have not backed down to the bully; on the contrary, my Democrat-Farmer-Labor Minnesotans, get ’r done folks, continue to rise to the occasion with courage and grace even though exhausted. Resources need replenishing—mental, physical, and emotional strength, money to help with rent and groceries, legal aide, support for small businesses… As my aunt says, “It seems like the whole city is standing up and speaking. Still a genuine peace reigns.”Anyone attempting to go about their daily routine—shoveling the driveway, taking out trash, getting to work or school, to the doctor’s, the grocery store, or place of worship—regardless of color, language, ethnicity, age, economic background, immigration status, criminal record, or not—runs the risk of an encounter with ICE or Border Patrol agents where guns will be drawn. You will suffer rough and, often, brutal physical treatment. You will be cuffed and arrested, often with no stated charges and put into detention. Racial and ethnic profiling increases that risk for many. Many of us have seen the horrific treatment of Aliya Rahman, an American citizen, on her way to a medical appointment. There are many families and individuals in hiding, unable to step out the door. Renee Good and Alex Pretti both stepped out—to protect their neighbors—and were murdered.LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•3 The Black Forest Inn facade in Minneapolis outside of which Alex Pretti was murdered by federal agents. Below: The parking area of the Black Forest Inn displays posters of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, murdered by ICE.
Part of the authoritarian plan is to make us think we cannot know one another and that we cannot know any facts, not even what we see and hear with our own eyes and ears. Renee, Alex, I didn’t know either of you, but I know something about you because of what each of you were doing at the time federal agents killed you. You were protecting your neighbors, observing and documenting the words and actions of agents on the streets of Minneapolis. I know that you, both, in exercising your Constitutional rights, were collecting and communicating the truth. For that reason, they killed you and the Trump administration demonized you.Donald Trump’s main campaign message was: Hate and fear your neighbor. He is very frightened by people who do not fall for his demonization of immigrants and people of color and he’s surrounded himself with like-minded, ill-prepared people. Dark v. light, evil v. good, wrong v. right—these are our choices—not, Red v. Blue. We teach our children about right and wrong in our families, communities, schools and places of worship. They are watching and experiencing trauma that will have lifelong emotional, educational, and health consequences. All children are watching, including the children of ICE agents and Republicans who remain silent. I have collected stories from people in the MinneapolisSt. Paul area to share so that people of San Antonio might know more about what’s happening there. Most are firsthand accounts. I will refrain from identifying these contributors for their own safety. It’s important for readers to understand something about the crucial role played by people like Renee and Alex as Constitutional observers that numbered approximately 30,000 in Minneapolis, alone. Donald Trump has threatened to enact the Insurrection Act and send military troops into the Twin Cities. The City of Minneapolis has a Separation Ordinance which states that Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers are not allowed to aid directly in federal immigration enforcement. The role of MPD officers is to help residents, promote public safety, enforce laws and fight crime. MPD officers have had to make a huge effort to gain the trust of the community since George Floyd’s murder. The MPD cooperates with federal immigration law enforcement onlywhen it involves an immigrant who has committed a crime. The Trump narrative is false. Federal agents are NOT primarily going after criminals and Minnesota IScooperating with ICE when going after criminals. Business as usual would be for federal agents to inform MPD of their actions in the state. This is not happening. The videos of observers and resident’s 9-1-1 calls are often the first that the MPD hears of ICE actions that often are unsafe for the community, or illegal. The dilemma for MPD officers is when federal agents commit crimes against residents. MPD officers can work to de-escalate a situation, but cannot get into an armed stand-off with federal agents that might create a situation conducive to Trump enacting the Insurrection Act. In addition, ICE and Border patrol agents have taken to calling 9-1-1 to accuse residents of criminal acts when no crime is committed according to the Angela Davis Show on Minnesota Public Radio airing February 3, 2026 that featured the Community Safety Commissioner for Minneapolis, Todd Barnett.In a recent press conference, Governor Walz and others pointed to a shift in ICE focus to schools and children interfering with children’s right to learn and sense of safety. As one education leader said in typical Minnesota fashion: “This is just not okay.” Many of us followed the traumatic treatment of Liam Conejo Ramos of Columbia Heights, Minnesota and his father, including the intervention of Congressman Joaquín Castro and protesters at the Dilley, Texas prison camp where they were sent. There have been 3 students from Columbia Heights detained at Dilley. A school social worker cites the case of 4thgrader, Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano. She and her mom were detained, separated from her dad, and spent a month in Dilley before being released and returned home. Now those families shelter in fear of being “taken”, again.The Superintendent of Fridley schools says schools are becoming “terror-ridden zones” with federal agents present daily. The Superintendent, staff, and board members have to patrol the school grounds and neighborhoods to keep children and families safe.LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•4 My aunt witnessed the “We Ride in Unity” memorial bike ride for Alex and Renee, that passed her restaurant. 5000 riders in choreographed motion represented the notions of ride-remember-resist.
A counselor at a Catholic school in Richfield serving a population of about 50% Latinos, reports that volunteer drivers’ cars are “filled to the brim [with children] to ensure kids make it safely to school and back home.” She notes how this situation is actually building greater trust in the community, but she feels guilty that there is little time left to provide the counseling so badly needed.A Brooklyn Park resident reported that a middle school student called to ask if she could be his safe house if ICE came around? When she started patrolling the parking lot of the student’s complex, she and a friend were swarmed by ICE vehicles, blocking them in and arresting them. On the way to the Whipple Detention Center, one of the ICE agents in the SUV began to convulse. The agents did not notice and didn’t stop to render aid. When they finally stopped, the agents had no clue as to what to do for their colleague, so they removed the handcuffs of those they had arrested so they could help. The ICE driver left the vehicle running with the door open. The detainees had to adjust the patient’s gun in order to help him and found a vest to keep him warm until EMS arrived. Then the two community members were re-cuffed and taken into custody in another vehicle. The community member recalled Renee Good’s words to an ICE agent: “Dude, I’m not even mad at you” finishing her story of utter incompetence by ICE agents saying, “Together, with love, we can stop this.”This incredible act of bridging, loving, courageous and even joyful resistance is evident in many forms in the Twin Cities. My aunt witnessed the “We Ride in Unity”memorial bike ride for Alex and Renee, that passed her restaurant.“There is currently an endless parade of bikes riding, then walking, and standing still on Nicollet Avenue.”5000 riders in choreographed motion represented the notions of ride-remember-resist.A Richfield resident says that one afternoon over 1000 Minneapolis neighbors gathered on frozen Lake Bde Maka Ska in large formation spelling SOS, (Support Our State). And, hundreds have gathered in Minneapolis neighborhoods for “Singing Resistance”—singing songs of solidarity in English and Spanish to neighbors in hiding. Singers say that the songs bring out their hope, grief, and rage.Another Richfield resident noted that they’ve been coordinating volunteers from each precinct to communicate via Signal what the needs are and who can meet those needs. “We have organized legal observers, rapid response teams, patrols, license plate checkers. Doctors are getting organized so they can go care for families who are homebound. We have mobile units with midwives ready to deliver babies… We hold vigils for those unlawfully abducted or killed and we raise money for rent, utilities, food, attorney fees.”A Somali-American citizen calls the situation in the Twin Cities a matter of “life and death.” Workers, especially those in hospitals, daycare, housekeeping, construction, and restaurant staff are particularly vulnerable and are leaving contact info and family details in sealed envelopes in the possession of union representatives in case… The St. Paul Center for Victims of Torture provides therapy for torture survivors who’ve come to the Twin Cities. These victims of past torture are finding a troubling connection between what they experienced in their home country and what is happening in Minnesota. Torture survivors from Ethiopia have been moved by the devotion of the community to human rights.Finally, a friend relayed: We live in a St. Paul neighborhood that is rich with cultural influences due to immigrants from many parts of the world. In the past couple of months my neighbors’ lives have been upended with threats of masked agents driving in unmarked vehicles present in our streets. The question that runs through my mind is: why do they act like they are in a war zone and who is telling them that walking down St. Paul streets with guns drawn is what doing their jobs looks like?I hope this gives a perspective of the ICE occupation in Minnesota, told largely through the stories of some of the people on the ground there. As one Richfield, Minnesota resident said: “We’re working hard to tell the country the truth of what is really happening. And not the lies of our federal government.” Minnesotans, stay warm, stay safe. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•5This incredible act of bridging, loving, courageous and even joyful resistance is evident in many forms in the Twin Cities: One afternoon over 1000 Minneapolis neighbors gathered on frozen Lake Bde Maka Ska in large formation spelling SOS (Support Our State!).
Ode To A Lost LoveMy country, tis of thee I sing- my battered beautiful country, full of promise and pain, honor and horror: we cling to memories of better days and bravely, persistently hold on to hope and determination: creativity and joy are powerfulacts of resistance.—Lisa MerskyBy The Light Of The Burning Planetpeople trying to soothe their anxiety are taught to tell themselves:the worst rarely happens, but as it turns outt, sometimes it does …bizarre and erratichave become the new norms.these times call for enormous amounts of tenderness and patience,but instead we are faced withirrational responses to unthinkable circumstances.Our public lifehas become a spectacleof mindless consumption of false truths and willful repudiation of true truthsPassionate warriors are collecting moments of connection, humor and joy. Ecstatic creativity is profound resistance. We can not just be spectators,we are all participants.—Lisa MerskyEl rinconcita de esperanzanos sentamos en nuestro rincóncito, esperando, pero la esperanza no basta. no debemos ocultar nuestra luces,sino, aprender a hacerlas brillar con mas intensidad.cada uno de nosotrosdebe hacer lo que pueda para ayudar a su barrio y al mundo.paso a paso, dia tras dia, combatimos la desesperación con la acción del corazón.we sit in our little corner hoping, but hope is not enough. we should not hide our lights, but learn to shine them brightlywith more intensity. Each one of usshould do what we can to help our neighbors and the world. step by step, day after day,we combat despairwith actions of the heart. —Lisa MerskyActivist AlphabetAlert and attentivebravecreativedeterminedenergetic fiercegeneroushopeful humble healersintuitive integrityjoyfulknowledgeable andkind lifelong learnermagnanimous andmature meaningmaker nurturingopen minded and openhearted persistentradical compassionsecure and serenetalented, tough, truthful and trustworthy upliftingand unstoppablevaliant and victorious warmand witty warriorseXpressiveyin-likezesty —Lisa MerskyLA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•6BIO: Lisa Mersky lives on the edge of Bull Creek in Austin with her husband and 2 dogs. Retired from a 37 year psychotherapy practice 2 years ago, she’s immersed in nature and creative pursuits—a balm for her, during these times. She hopes her words may help others as well. A group of protesters in inflatable costumes gathers outside the ICE building in Portland during a protest Saturday, October 18. Giant inflatable costumes have now become a hallmark of Portland’s anti-ICE protests. Photo: Suzette Smith, Portland MercuryThe second No Kings protest in Portland featured a wide range of inflatable animal costumes, from frogs to bears to dinosaurs and PokémonPhoto: REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
By Susan Morales Guerra, writer and facilitator Born a Mexican in the U.S., I know equal rights as a Chicana are not a given. Life has taught us about power, powerlessness, collective power and the hegemony of the powerful few. My destiny brought me to Norway as a 20 year old and presented me with a new birth of becoming; as an adult, as a global human being and for continuing to be a political person. Born and bred in the Mexican westside of San Antonio, I have had and still have many things to learn about navigating a whole, multi-faceted identity with a holistic understanding of what life is now as a sovereign being. Home is the bridge I travel between these 2 vastly different countries. Home is also from the stories I hear told by Norwegians and other resident foreigners. Their stories are where I find connection to my Chicana experience. Our commonality is formed through the socio-political circumstances we share.Many Americans have asked if Norway is a socialist country. It is not. It has a capitalist economy with social democratic welfare state programs established after World War II. Nothing is free as we pay a high rate of taxes. We get in return a degree of financial security, healthcare, basic and higher education, even housing and food when there is need. We do have refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants and my life here has been regulated under the immigration laws until I applied to get my Norwegian citizenship 3 years ago after living here for more than 40 years. I learned about the Norwegian welfare system and social democratic politics by living and working here. What first impressed me was how the working class had a voice through unions and to be a worker was respectable. A sense of the common good was valued as equally important as the good for the individual, sometimes more so. Civic mindedness was a part of civil educational teachings. It is accepted that an individual may not need benefits now, but next year that individual might lose their job, health, or maybe their children. We pay taxes because it gives benefits as a safety net. Strangers become part of the civil extended family, and interconnection and solidarity are basic values which unify. It is an ongoing political struggle to keep the values of inter-connection, the common good and The Long Way to a Renewed Democracy solidarity in focus. There is some democratic control over how national budgets are used through voting. I gladly pay taxes to the government and vote to influence how benefits are distributed. I do not support privatization of medical care, insurance, water and electricity as this benefits shareholders, more than the common good. Privatization has hacked its way through the welfare system in Norway over time and I’ve seen big changes since the 70s when I arrived and social programs were abundant. Conservatives and social democrats in Norway understand that a government´s function is to provide security and human rights as this creates a society of trust. To live with trust in government is one of the greatest freedoms which cannot be taken for granted.This welfare state is by no means always equitable or without prejudice or abuse. Life and policy are hardly stable and economics and demographics provide challenges. Yet no one wants to go back to feudal times with Csars, child labor, slavery and hazardous public health conditions. In my opinion, this is a bottom line for what constitutes a modern-day quality of life. With the values from my parents, educators, the church and peers, the values of the social democratic welfare state coincide. Government is good when it takes responsibility to care for its people´s needs and natural resources.We the United States—rupture, betrayalAs a euro-scandi-mexican-ao s been complicated. I enviedpeople whose allegiances were simple and stable. Western European countries have “loved” the USA, not least the Scandinavian countries. After World War II, the Marshall Plan 1948 put Europe in alliance, economically and morally, with the U.S. The myth of the U.S. as a peace-loving friend of Europe and defender of democracy against the Soviet Union´s communism was created. The Plan included economic and political advantages and gave hegemonic power to the United States over other nations in Europe. These countries did so willingly, as Europe was in dire need of resources and marLA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•7Historian Heather Cox Richardson reminds us that democracy doesn’t collapse all at once—and because we can recognize the warning patterns from history, the future is still unwritten and shaped by what ordinary people choose to do now.
kets to re-build themselves after devastating war damage. The U.S. promised through many alliances, to defend these countries in case of a new war. The U.S. role of savior of democracy as the strongest and “greatest” of cultures was deepened by the Cold War against the Soviet Union.Decades of development and corporate power have changed capitalism´s need for resources and power alliances. The billionaires (corporate CEOs and financial, media, and institutional leaders) have defeated democratic process in the USA and internationally at the present time. They have for decades developed industries, purchased water, and poisoned these natural resources resulting in destruction to humans and to natural resources in the U.S. and across continents. This action continues to escalate, and Donald Trump, 47th president of the U.S., is the voice for global corporate power, and has caused a rupture in international due process, as the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, called it at The World Economic Forum 2026. Western countries, the Arctic allies, other countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), are struggling with how to approach the unpredictability of what Trump says and does from hour to hour. Western leaders in Europe have gathered to discuss new strategies for a new world order without the U.S. in hegemonic position. These are seeking out more collaboration with countries in the eastern hemisphere, including China; to meet their vulnerability for military defense. The withdrawal of the U.S. from agreements to provide defense is seen as a betrayal after years of European support of U.S. interests. The United States has set up economic sanctions through tariffs to countries which do not support Trump’s proposal to buy Greenland. I fear for Norway, too,, as the natural resources and its dependance on capitalism, as well as its proximity to Russia, make parts of Norway prime real estate in the eyes of the present administration of the USA.The Norwegian Prime Minister´s response on February 2nd at the Oslo Security Conference has made it clear that this is not the first time for a rupture in democratic values and policy collaboration. He mentioned that there is a need for a more robust alliance and resilient cooperation among European allies as the U.S. has failed Europe. Unfortunately, European polls show that Europeans in general have now lost faith and trust in the U.S. Norway´s and Europe´s decisions think traditionally about security by increasing budgets for weapon production, creating new alliances for military and technological strength at the cost of social and ecological programs. This thinking does little to change perspective on what kind of new world order which holds democracy at its core, is needed to improve daily life of ordinary people. The “not-so-new” Neo-colonialismThe European allies in NATO, The United Nations (UN) and the EU are scrambling to know how to defeat the “not-so-new” neo-colonialism of today. The plans of the newly established Board of Peace to make Gaza a resort like Las Vegas is open for those “who pay to play”, as The Guardian recently wrote.Power and “greatness” follow the logic of the capitalist economic principle to consistently gain surplus value with no regard for the destruction of nature and beings. The stories of securing “safe borders” can be seen as the myths used as cover ups for capitalist exploitation. The big questions are how does this power dynamic arise, how does it remain a truth and how does it change? What value system is being practiced in the politics of today when the myth of “might makes right” becomes policy? Greenland´s existence is tainted by the “might makes right” colonial vision. Greenland has been a part of Norwegian and Danish territory since the 1700s and struggled to gain self-governing status in 1979. It now has its own parliament but still is a Danish realm. The population of 57,000 is split in its desire to remain as a part of the Danish kingdom or to become fully independent. Greenlanders are Inuit people, with their own language and culture, knowledge and rich in mineral resources. Their goal has been self-rule, although now the protection by Denmark is preferable over control by the USA.Notably today is that all the “deals” and discussions about the “sale” of Greenland have not included the Inuit´s own government representation. In addition, there has been no interest for the Inuit culture and their way of life which emphasizes interconnection, the link between the Arctic ecosystem, the animals, and human health.After the US government invaded Venezuela and financed the destruction of Gaza, the Inuit´s have much to risk for their way of life and for the resources of their small yet beautiful country. Hope - We know how to struggle, and we need to learn more about how to build “A human being is part of a Whole, called by us a Universe”. —Albert Einstein, physicistIs there a way to “do” hope today? How do we live democracy for the future? Hundreds of thousands of people are voicing opposition to the anti-humanitarian actions of greedy corporate leaders. When offenses occur in or own back yard, we pay attention. And that is exactly what we need to do. Global corporate powers have created a world where the LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•8 Susan Guerra looks at the answer: Love.
words development, freedom, protection and security allow them to do anything without heeding rules of law and international treaties and causing harm and even murder of innocent human beings. The breaches to human rights and democracy in the international world are mirrored in these breaches of the same domestically in the U.S. The power given to the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, ICE, is a horrid example to many and reminders of Nazi actions.Karl Marx, 19th century German philosopher and critic of capitalist thinking, suggested that the capitalist system would implode by its very reason to exist. The need and aim to accumulate more wealth would in the end, create the circumstances which led to its own destruction. Considering today´s technology, agribusiness, Artificial Intelligence, and crypto currencies, we can recognize how these developments have already changed how we produce, consume and live. Something different is emerging now, with more on the horizon.Our civic duty is to explore and gather and learn together to realize what we need to protect. We, the universal community of humans, are uneasy as we do not know what’s coming. Will we receive medical care from robots? Will we have technical implants in our heads? Will the development of space technology burn up our resources and leave nature, not as a resource, but as a poisoned well? Will we lose the skills to express ourselves as AI corrects and auto-corrects, translates and summarizes and makes analysis? Orwell´s 1984 forewarned us about conditions which could only be imagined, yet much has come true. What can give us a forewarning of life´s development towards 2084? What we imagine can happen, may become reality. We must ask ourselves, what do we want to imagine, and which values do we want to steer us? How will we get there?Does the 99% of humanity have real power just because we are many? Or do we still argue and fight because hate rhetoric, fear and myths of might makes right, colonizes our thinking from what democracy by the people for the people really means to us? Are we being duly represented by our elected officials? Is there a blurry line between what is diplomacy and what is taking an oppositional stand? How does the 99% get representation and power over corporate power, the 1% who steer world economy? Is this possible to change, or is this another illusion?I trust that compassion is a way to broaden understanding of what we desire as human beings. If we are to practice values which are healthy for democracy, we can choose to see ourselves as citizens of the earth and act together for a constructive and non-violent world.I imagine the philosophies of indigenous people can teach us again about connection, earth, interdependence and humility to move closer to our original spirit. I do not think Indigenous cultural studies are banned yet. We can take agency for our learning into our own hands. One anecdote: I was at a family birthday party and the youngest person there was 1.5 years old. She had learned to walk, she looked around at the many adults present, and a few other small children. She was cared for by everyone, and she was the star of the show as she radiated trust and presence. She was a precious, happy human curious and trusting of her circumstances. As I watched her in all her purity of being, I had tears in my eyes. She reminded me of the essence of goodness and peace we are all born with. I cried because I realized that this essence is how all humans are born. And I cried thinking about how this innocence and trust changes. When does this change and how does this change? What creates anxiousness and fear?Perhaps we, as people of the USA, must now navigate for ourselves as a country on equal terms with other nations, and not superior to other nations. Imagine a new identity which excludes the assumed role of being the greatest. Imagine the value of humility as a good thing to have with us. As a philosopher, Socrates believed that the very nature of humans embodied the freedom to be, to exist, and therefore required the freedom to reflect over life as it was lived. He is often quoted as saying that the unexamined life is not worth living. Many consider the freedom of critical thinking and acts of kindness as antidotes to hate and fascist politics. We must re-learn how the power of gathering and humanitarian values can be the means to re-build a democracy of compassion and interconnectedness. In most places, we are still free to do this. BIO: Susan Morales Guerra of San Antonio, Texas, a cofounder of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center resides in Norway and continues her activism in Europe as consultant, writer and facilitator for NGOs and Municipalities.Santiago “Jimmie” SifuentesJuly 20, 1970 – December 25, 2025The Esperanza extends heartfelt condolences to Debra Ann Enriquez Sifuentes, Buena gente, on the recent passing of her beloved husband, Santiago “Jimmie” Sifuentes who brought much joy to his wife, family, friends and coworkers. Jimmy was an avid pool player and enjoyed being with family on all occasions, helping his friends when needed and was always ready to share his stories and insights on life. His presence will always be felt and he will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know him. Que en paz descanse. ¡Jimmie Sifuentes, presente!LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•9
The Assault on Venezuela and the Making of a Latin American MandelaBy Jovanni L. ReyesAt the time of this writing, one month ago, the U.S., under President Donald Trump, conducted a brazen military raid against sovereign Bolivarian Venezuela. Executed in a Hollywood style shock and awe blitz, over 150 aircraft swarmed the skies over Caracas in the early hours of January 3rd, bombing military and civilian targets alike. Unexplained new technologies reportedly neutralized Venezuelan defense capabilities. This attack culminated months of a massive naval blockade—a “grand armada”—and the commandeering of bases across the Caribbean. A campaign of extrajudicial killings targeting people in small boats off the coasts of Venezuela, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago, oil tanker hijackings on the high seas, and siege like sanctions had sought to foment a palace coup. Instead, the Bolivarians stood fast, precipitating this despicable escalation. Washington recycled familiar tropes, painting Maduro as a narcoterrorist dictator to manufacture consent for the unjustifiable.The assault killed over 100 people, including 32 Cubans. In its final act, U.S. forces kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia FloresMaduro was paraded through New York and now sits in a Brooklyn cell on fabricated charges—a grotesque violation of sovereignty and head of state immunity. He is held as a hostage for ransom by an administration seeking leverage and greater concessions from the Caribbean republic.Following the attack, Trump threatened Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico. His officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and cabinet members Rubio, Miller, and Hegseth, boasted in the legacy media. In an angry outburst, Miller declared Latin American resources must prioritize U.S. interests; Hegseth said the raid was “like watching a movie.”The operation drew near universal condemnation, with exceptions from right wing allied leaders in Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador—figures who owe their recent electoral victories to Trump’s interventions in their national politics. The EU, in its typical schizophrenic fashion, invoked international law, respect for sovereignty, and non intervention, while welcoming Maduro’s overthrow—the very act that violates those principles. This is the same entity that denounces Putin as a war criminal but persecutes and prosecutes its own citizens for protesting against Netanyahu.I witnessed the raid unfold in real time on Telegram, horrified by the images of devastation. The next morning, a friend shared a post from a local Venezuelan restaurant owner in San Antonio offering free meals in celebration. I was sickened. On my social media feeds, friends shared videos of celebrating Venezuelans—almost exclusively from the diaspora in Miami, Buenos Aires, and Madrid. One particularly dubious clip on my feed purported to show a massive, cheering crowd in Caracas. It was a static aerial shot over tall buildings and a crowd below, layered with generic cheering sounds—it could have been any city in the world.This is the power of algorithmic disinformation: it reinforces preconceived narratives. When I asked friends posting these clips if they had seen the concurrent videos of tens of thousands of actual Venezuelans in Caracas protesting the attack and demanding their leaders’ return, they had not. The American media ignores these Venezuelans. Only the diaspora in Miami seems to count.As a long time observer of revolutionary Venezuela and the reaction of the Venezuelan extreme right, along with their ally the U.S. and collective West, I’ve seen this playbook before. The U.S. backed opposition has long used social media to manipulate truth, even passing off footage of Chilean or Spanish police brutality as events in Venezuela. Their tactics include the violent guarimba protests, designed to paralyze cities and oust the government, which have targeted civilians and public infrastructure.This is, at its heart, a class conflict. It pits a privileged elite—who felt supplanted after Chávez’s 1999 victory and the citizen’s revolution he started—against the long LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•10Photo credit: rollcall.com
ignored majority who found representation in Chavismo. The movement insists that Venezuela’s resource wealth should benefit its people, advocates for regional integration independent of Washington, and promotes South South cooperation. This vision is intolerable to the U.S.—which follows a policy of full spectrum dominance—and to the Venezuelan elites who identify more with America and its interests than with their compatriots.The recent U.S. National Security Strategy explicitly revives the Monroe Doctrine, declaring the hemisphere an exclusive zone of American interest to counter China, Russia, and Iran. To justify kidnapping Maduro, Trump deployed a familiar litany of falsehoods: the dictator, the narcotrafficker, the cartel leader, the election thief. Marco Rubio posted images likening Maduro to the murdered Libyan leader Gaddafi. The capture was announced with a triumphant “we got him,” echoing the rhetoric used for Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.Washington assumed that seizing Maduro would topple Bolivarianism. It has not. The government, led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, endures. They thought displaying a captured Maduro in a jumpsuit, blindfolded and zip tied, would give them another Noriega or Hussein. Instead, they have created a Mandela. Around the world, solidarity protests demand the release of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and demand that Venezuela be respected. The imperial operation designed to deliver a crushing blow may have forged a lasting symbol of resistance.BIO: Jovanni Reyes served 12 years in the U.S. Army, and is a member of H.O.L.A. (Hands Off Latin America), formerly Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). He holds a M.S. in International Relations, and currently lives in San Antonio, Texas.Sister Elizabeth (Betty) CampbellSister of Mercy Elizabeth (Betty) Campbell died in San Antonio, Texas on January 18, 2026 at 91 years of age. Born in Wisconsin and raised in Iowa, she was the youngest of William and Caroline [O’Neil] Campbell’s 13 children. Influenced by two brothers who were doctors, she became a nurse and in 1955 entered the Sisters of Mercy, taking her vows in 1961 serving briefly in two Mercy hospitals in the U.S. before starting (1962) missionary work in Peru.Director of nursing and hospital administrator at Madres de la Misericordia in Sicuani, Peru, Sister Betty not only offered her skills and care but also listened and learned from the people giving her new perspectives about missionary work.In Peru she met Father Peter Hinde, a Carmelite priest from the U.S. Attending to the wisdom of their indigenous neighbors, they became lifetime partners in what they called “reverse mission” —a title that meant not Americans arriving to teach indigenous people, but rather indigenous people teaching them how U.S. policies and interventions were impacting their lives.Having traveled throughout Latin America, they returned to the U.S. to advocate for those nations and peoples they’d visited. In 1973, their work led to the creation of Casa Tabor, a community of persons committed to justice and compassion for the poor and oppressed. Welcoming Latin American exiles and refugees and expanding advocacy work, Casa Tabor moved from Washington, D.C. to San Antonio, TX in the mid-1980s where they worked with various groups including the Esperanza. In 1995 they moved to Cd. Juarez on the Mexican border.After Father Peter died in 2020, Sister Betty continued alone focusing on work at the border with immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and on education and empowerment programs with women. She lived the Gospel of Jesus Christ in many ways welcoming visitors wanting to learn about the border and emailed widely, urging others to advocate for those suffering abuse. She painted murals and kept a litany of persons violently killed or “disappeared.” Through it all she prayed – treasuring the Eucharist, cherishing the rosary and daily gatherings to read Scripture and reflect on God’s word.Sister Betty is survived by a loving host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, her Sisters in the Mercy Community, companions in Casa Tabor, and her many friends. May her memory be eternal and her work continue through the many gente she touched. Sister Betty Campbell, presente! LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•11Photo: Dee SanchezPhoto of wooden urn by Don Marengo (made by Eric Bright and painted by Eva Marengo Sánchez).
It has been 30 years since my dad was illegally and unjustly deportedBy Dino FoxIt has been 30 years since my dad was illegally and unjustly deported back to Mexico. Morning doom scrolling through social media revealed an alert that I.C.E. was seen near the intersection by the old HEB in the neighborhood where he was taken from. Near Culebra & 24th St, the HEB that no longer has the cone shaped tents in front, the reason why we used to call it the Madonna HEB. 30 years of folks coming to the same neighborhood for barbacoa and puffy tacos and pupusas on Sundays—returning to hunt the very people who put the food on their tables on Monday.30 years since my mama and two children drove to Piedras Negras to figure out how to bring him back with very little money and a car that was never supposed to drive that far. 30 years since I, a middle schooler who should have been preparing for the TAAS Test or learning how to study or playing with friends, held my baby brother at the banks of the Rio Bravo to watch our father swim for his life — for our lives.It has been 30 years of my dad working on the frontlines, outdoors, braving Tejas climate change, keeping the infrastructure of San Antonio growing. It has been 7 years since he rushed over the finish line, gaining his citizenship under the same administration because it was already scary the first time. It has been 6 years since the world shut down and he risked his health because he wasn’t allowed to shelter-in-place even though his wife was immunocompromised and on dialysis 3 times a week.It has been 6 years since my body started to wake up at 4 am daily to begin praying. It rumbles awake, forcing itself up into my chest, and then comes the pacing, from dark room to dark room, whispered prayers mumbled through clenched jaws. Spoken quietly to the Creator, to my ancestors, to all of creation, to anyone who will listen before the city comes alive. For his protection, so he can be showered by good health and abundance and so that he makes it home safely another day. Because even though he has lived a life of hard work, he is still a dark man with an accent who drives a white work van.The morning after the last presidential election, I only felt doom and despair briefly, all of it falling away as I began to get messages from folks much stronger than I, reminding me that if our ancestors could access joy and hope in other unfathomable moments in history, we could find a path ourselves. I was instantly transported back to the banks of the Rio Bravo, and remembered that even though we arrived back home in the middle of the night, and that we were all filled with fear that it would happen again, our father got up before the sun the next morning and went to work.It has been 30 years since my dad was illegally and unjustly deported back to Mexico. It has also been 30 years of Tejano music on radio and carne asada on the grill, 30 years of laughter, and growth, celebration and Christmases around the tree, 30 years of trips to the Guadalupe River and sandwiches with Fritos and Hill Country Fair Pineapple Soda, 30 years of trips to the Chinese Buffet and watching Forrest Gump or Home Alone any time it is on TV like it was the first time he watched it, laughing from his belly with his full colmillos on display, 30 years of Mexican dad jokes and tamales and spoiling his sweet tooth with all his favorite snacks, 30 years of being a devoted partner, a quiet, stern but kind and loving dad and 3 years since he became one of the happiest grandpas in the world.So I say this now, as I have for 30 years, and will keep screaming for another 30 more, if I have to: Chinga. La. Migra! Now and forever. I invite you to think about what you can do today to bring forward a world where everyone has an equal chance at living a life rooted in dignity and love.BIO: Dino Foxx, a native of San Antonio is an actor, singer, burlesque dancer, writer, poet, mindfulness coach, arts educator and activist. Founding member of Tragic Bitches (a Queer Xicana/o Performance Poetry Collaborative) and author of When the Glitter Fades (Kórima Press), Foxx is San Antonio’s genderbending glam-bear queen and burlesque alter-ego Foxxy Blue Snacks. She is also co-producer and emcee for the San Antonio Burlesque Festival and the Pastie Pops Burlesque Revue.LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•12 Dino Fox (Foxxy Blue Snacks) with his parents Olga & Agustín Rodriguez
Fascism, the New U.S. RealityBy Rogelio SáenzMany Americans use the term fascism to describe nations headed by rogue dictators. Never here! But, one year into Donald Trump’s second term as president, that comfort no longer exists. What once seemed unthinkable is now clearly visible: a U.S. presidency that has drifted away from constitutional limits, the rule of law, and democratic principles. From the start of his second term, Trump has acted as if legal rules no longer matter. At the outset, he pardoned approximately 1,600 January 6, 2021 rioters. Trump also began a massive deportation operation. The latest numbers: 353,000 arrests, 69,000 currently in detention, and over 352,000 deported.At the same time, Trump has obscured the boundary between holding public office and private gain. His family and political allies have openly benefited from ventures in cryptocurrency, real estate, and artificial intelligence, without oversight or regard for conflicts of interest. The New York Times estimates that Trump has pocketed $1.4 billion from a wide variety of business ventures since taking office last year.More troubling is the pattern of behavior. Trump has repeatedly disobeyed court orders, publicly criticized judges, and retaliated against political opponents and critics. Prestigious law firms and universities have faced intense political pressure replete with heavy financial penalties and heavy-handed concessions.Abroad, Trump has used tariffs as blunt tools, threatened or antagonized allies, and ordered killings of suspected drug carriers on Venezuelan shores. At home, he has treated the presidency less as a constitutional office and more as a personal instrument of power and branding.While 2026 is still in its infancy, Trump’s lawlessness has accelerated. He has already unilaterally invaded Venezuela, threatened various countries, defended lethal actions that took the life of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman, and more recently that of Alexi Pretti, a 37-year-old man, at the hands of federal immigration agents during protests in Minneapolis with Trump sheltering the killers from prosecution, and opened an investigation of Jerome H. Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve. These exploits reflect a governing philosophy rooted in domination rather than democratic consent.The most sobering reality is that the traditional checks on presidential power are becoming less effective. Congress has shown little desire for confrontation. The courts, shaped by Trump’s judicial appointments, regularly side with him. An analysis demonstrated that Trump-appointed appellate judges, who he refers to as “my judges,” have supported him 92% of the time. Still, cracks are starting to show. Several GOP lawmakers have stood up to Trump. Some of his supporters are also expressing dissatisfaction, especially about economic pressures and rising living costs. Latino voters who supported Trump in 2024 have strayed from him in recent elections. Business leaders are growing more uneasy about labor shortages and economic instability linked to mass deportations. Four polls in early January 2026 show increasing levels of voter disapproval of Trump with approval ratings ranging from 36% to 44%.The upcoming midterm elections are a crucial test. Trump recognizes this, which is why he has already begun to influence the electoral landscape. Unusual mid-decade redistricting, pressure on election officials, and early claims of voter fraud all indicate a familiar tactic: discredit the elections unless the results favor him. The U.S. has entered perilous territory. In a span of a year, Trump has eroded democratic standards and normalized authoritarian behavior. The months ahead will decide whether Democrats can build an effective platform beyond that they are not Trump; they must provide a compelling vision that tackles economic insecurity, institutional reform, and democratic renewal.The longer-term challenge is even more serious. Around the world, fascist leaders have extended their control by manipulating laws, courts, and elections. Trump has already tried this five years ago and will certainly do it again when his term ends. Democracy slowly erodes, then suddenly it is a distant memory. The damage that the U.S. has already sustained will take decades to repair. Whether that process can start now depends on the willingness of citizens, institutions, and political leaders to recognize what is happening and to act before the erosion becomes irreversible.BIO: Rogelio Sáenz is Professor of sociology and demography at the University of Texas at San Antonio. This essay reflects his own opinions and not those of UT San Antonio.NOTE: Originally published in La Voz de Austin, February 2026. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•13
Georgette SalibaFebruary 8, 1940 - January 10, 2026“Those who believe in me will live even if they die”It is with profound sadness that the Esperanza Peace and Justice center announces that Georgette al-Haj Saliba reposed on January 10, 2026, in San Antonio, at the age of 85. Both of her daughters are active members of the Esperanza family and we extend our heartfelt condolences to Imane and Nadine, their family and their community of friends.Born on February 8, 1940, in Quneitra, Syria, Georgette was the beloved daughter of the late Faris al-Haj and Asia al-Haddad.She lived a life defined by love, devotion, and a profound spirit of generosity. As a loving daughter, sister, wife, and mother, she will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her selfless compassion, unshakeable faith, and graceful surrender to God’s will. She was known for her love of politics and history, and for her youthful activism, demonstrating an open-mindedness that transcended her traditional upbringing. Her skillful hands learned to sew as a young woman, creating beautiful clothes that adorned her younger sister, daughters, and countless others.She is survived by her cherished daughters, Imane and Nadine Saliba, and her brothers, Tawfik, Shafik, and Said al-Haj and their families, as well as her sister Amal al-haj Salinas and her husband Joe Salinas. She was also sister-in-law to the late Albert, Suhail, and Fouad Saliba, and to Father George, Nahila, and Romeo Saliba. She will be fondly remembered by her many nieces and nephews who lovingly knew her as ‘amtou’ and ‘tante.’Georgette was preceded in death by her beloved husband Nahil Saliba and her dear brother Nicolas al-Haj.May her memory be eternal. Many blessings to her family and friends. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•14Georgette as a young mother with her daughters, Nadine and Imane; and with her beloved husband, Nahil Saliba.
The award is given to a MALCS member who has used her expertise, experience and commitment to support and advance the MALCS mission. It is a token of appreciation for scholars and administrators who have made a difference in their respective academic and administrative fields. Nominations from MALCS members may be submitted via a Google Form by:Margaret Randall, poet, essayist, translator, co-founded and co-edited the iconic bilingual literary journal El Corno Emplumado / The Plumed Horn in Mexico City in the 1960s.“Margaret Randall delivers yet another treasure about the invisible powers of poetry through a collection of letters to the editors of the thirty-one issues of El Corno Emplumado resulting in a passionate and volcanic record of an era that patiently waits to reemerge from the memory of the world.” —Leandro Katz, poet and artistLetters That Breathe Fire by Margaret RandallPublished, February 24, 2026 by New Village Press —Available Now!Raton Award to: Representative Henry Cuellar2026 MALCS Tortuga AwardCall for NominationsTo view past winners go to: malcs.org/Tortuga-awards/Submit nominations for the Ratón Award for the next issue of La Voz: [email protected] by Trump for bribery and money laundering, Cuellar voted to fund ICE. His largest donations come from the pro-Israel lobbyist, AIPAC. Cuellar also voted to give $38 billion in Military Aide to Israel.March 6, 2026at bit.ly/malcs-tortuga Remember your tax deductible giftsYour donation supports the Esperanza! go to: www.esperanzacenter.org/Donateor send check to:Esperanza Peace & Justice Center922 San Pedro Ave • SA, TX 78212Become a Monthly Donor!or call210-228-0201to donateYour donationhelps us advocatefor you.Support the Esperanzawww.esperanzacenter.org/donateCheck individual websites, FB and other social media for information on community meetings previously listed in La Voz. For meetings and events scheduled at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center check: www.esperanzacenter.org or call 210.228.0201.AnunciosMarch 202615LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•Joy HarjoAdriana M. Garcia
Todos Agua IIIPerformance Dates:Saturday, March 21, 2026Sunday, March 22, 2026Tuesday, March 24, 2026Thursday, March 26, 2026Friday, March 27, 2026Saturday, March 28, 2026More info to come2nd Saturday ConvivioMarch 14, 2026 @ 10amPlática w/Regina Martinezdaughter of Gloria Rios, Mexico’s Queen of Rock n Rollwho grew up on San Antonio’s westside! VOTE!Haven’t opened La Voz in a while? Prefer to read it online? Wrong address? TO CANCEL A SUBSCRIPTIONEMAIL [email protected] CALL: 210.228.0201TEXAS: PRIMARY ELECTION DAYTuesday, March 3, 2026bit.ly/primary2026San Antonio International Women’s Day March And RallySunday, March 8th @ 2pmMain Plaza, 115 N. Main AveNon-Profit Org.US PostagePAIDSan Antonio, TXPermit #332LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • March 2026 Vol. 39 Issue 2•ESPERANZA PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER922 San Pedro San Antonio TX 78212210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org