Joaquin Roberto Meza Delgado, former minister of public works in El Salvador reappeals refugee status in Canada
Ottawa urged to toss diplomat
Posted By TOM GODFREY
Salvadorans in Toronto are pressing Ottawa to toss out their country's former ambassador to the UN who traded diplomatic immunity for refugee status.
Joaquin Roberto Meza Delgado, who ran for vice-president of El Salvador in the 1990s, was his country's first consul-general in Vancouver from 2001 to 2006 when he was accused of financial wrongdoing, according to court records.
He was also El Salvador's minister of public works, president of the central elections council and director of the Salvadoran Insitute for Municipal Administration.
Delgado was accused in January, 2005 of misappropriating about $72,000 from the consulate and ordered to return home to explain the issue.
But in May, 2006 he and his wife, Marina, and their young daughter filed refugee claims.
The claims were rejected by an Immigration and Refugee Board in 2007 but appealed to the federal court that two weeks ago ordered a new hearing.
Members of the Salvadoran Canadian Association are outraged that Delgado and his family have sought asylum and are asking Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to send them packing.
"This man comes from a very powerful family," association secretary Eusebio Garcia said yesterday. "There are other people who are more deserving of refugee status."
"This man (Delgado) is politically connected to the previous government," Garcia said. "I think he is taking advantage of Canada and our generosity."
In his federal court decision, Justice John O'Keefe said Delgado "alleges the accusations were politically motivated."
"He was never directly accused of any criminal wrongdoing or charged with any crime," the judge said.
Source: SUN MEDIA 6/10/2009
Posted By TOM GODFREY
Salvadorans in Toronto are pressing Ottawa to toss out their country's former ambassador to the UN who traded diplomatic immunity for refugee status.
Joaquin Roberto Meza Delgado, who ran for vice-president of El Salvador in the 1990s, was his country's first consul-general in Vancouver from 2001 to 2006 when he was accused of financial wrongdoing, according to court records.
He was also El Salvador's minister of public works, president of the central elections council and director of the Salvadoran Insitute for Municipal Administration.
Delgado was accused in January, 2005 of misappropriating about $72,000 from the consulate and ordered to return home to explain the issue.
But in May, 2006 he and his wife, Marina, and their young daughter filed refugee claims.
The claims were rejected by an Immigration and Refugee Board in 2007 but appealed to the federal court that two weeks ago ordered a new hearing.
Members of the Salvadoran Canadian Association are outraged that Delgado and his family have sought asylum and are asking Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to send them packing.
"This man comes from a very powerful family," association secretary Eusebio Garcia said yesterday. "There are other people who are more deserving of refugee status."
"This man (Delgado) is politically connected to the previous government," Garcia said. "I think he is taking advantage of Canada and our generosity."
In his federal court decision, Justice John O'Keefe said Delgado "alleges the accusations were politically motivated."
"He was never directly accused of any criminal wrongdoing or charged with any crime," the judge said.
Source: SUN MEDIA 6/10/2009
To show political refugee needs to convice with documentation before judge that his lives and family are in jeopardy cuase such claim.
ReplyDeleteI don´t have any doubt that Mr. Meza is lying to honorable Court in Ottawa. Furthermore, most of millionaries in Latina America flee from its own country to become fugitive of law.
Meza is not the exeption, cause new administration has come to power in El Salvador.
Jose Matatias Delgado Y Del Hambre.