“


Thank you for welcoming all of me”


Facing persecution in Honduras,


Marco found safety and a fresh start in Canada By Erla Cabrera


The North of Central America, made up of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, is facing chronic high levels of violence from gangs and drug cartels. They are forcibly recruiting children, kidnapping to extort money from small business owners, sexually abusing women and girls, and threatening lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals. For thousands of people from the region, fear, trauma and horrific violence have become a part of their daily lives. This is especially true for those who are LGBTI.


Marco had to hide who he really was: his life depended on it.


In his native Honduras, he was never open about his sexual orientation. He was not ashamed of being gay; he believed most people around him knew he was. Yet, he lived with a lingering fear of being shunned or physically attacked if he were to open up about his sexuality.


In June 2016, Marco’s worst fears came true as he became a target of local gang members in Honduras.


“I was harassed, threatened and almost assaulted on several occasions. I tried moving in with my sister who lived in another city, but they found me there as well and I didn’t want to put her in danger. So, I decided I had to leave Honduras.”


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In many parts of the world, LGBTI individuals are extremely vulnerable. They often experience discrimination and violence in their home countries, which includes sexual abuse, lack of legal protection and access to basic services.


Marco fled to Mexico having little to no knowledge about the asylum process or what it meant to be a refugee. Upon reaching the southern border he was stopped by immigration officials and placed in detention while he awaited a decision about his case. “It was overcrowded and unbearable. I was terrified and alone. I didn’t know what my rights were and cried at the thought of this being the end of my journey to safety since I would see people being deported daily.”


After about a month, Marco was finally connected with UNHCR and brought


to a shelter in the town of Tenosique that was a safe space for LGBTI people. He stayed at the shelter for about 10 months, opting out of living on his own since he felt protected and liked being close to people he knew.


One day, Marco was attacked, once again because of his sexual orientation, by a group of men along the road to a local river. “I thought I was going to die that day. I was so ashamed and wanted no one to know what happened.”


After some hesitation, Marco confided in someone at the shelter who convinced him to see a doctor and speak to a lawyer. From there, a police report was filed and UNHCR worked to have him transferred quickly to a shelter in Mexico City to keep him safe until a more permanent solution could be found.


In January 2018, Marco was resettled by UNHCR to Canada. Now at home in Sherbrooke, Quebec, he is excited to be attending French classes and aspires to become a police officer. He is also volunteering with the local LGBTI community in hopes that his story can help others.


“Now I go to class with people from different backgrounds, with different reasons for fleeing, but all with the hope of building a new life in safety. I want to say thank you to Canada. Thank you for welcoming all of me.” R


©UNHCR/Erla Cabrera


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