Missing Paquito: The Disappearance of Jose Fuentes
By Alicia Cruz The Black Urban Times Thousands of immigrants cross into the United States each day through Mexico. Though the journey is a dangerous one, it is necessary. Many come here to create better lives for their families and say the benefits of a better life far outweigh the risks. Back in December 1993, five members of the Fuentes family, along with may others, traveled all the way from their village in El Salvador to Guatemala with the hopes of reaching the United States to join family. Amongst them was then seven-year-old Jose Fuentes, the baby of the family. At approximately midnight on December 7, the Fuentes and others crossed into the U.S. from an opening in a Northern Mexico fence and made their way into Southern California. Jose, his two teenage brothers, his Tia and older sister, Maria had finally completed their 2,000 mile journey from El Salvador which began a month earlier. They were looking forward to a better life with their mother, but what happened within the mo...