Latin American Solidarity
By: Rita Smith
The W.N.Y. Catholic News Paper
January 1987

Memories overwhelm Santiago Masferrer as he takes the simple wooden plaque from the mantel in the living room of his Buffalo home to show a visitor. He reads the hand carved words on it: "To our companion, to our friend, to our brother, Santiago. Fraternally Carreta 24."

Carreta 24 was the name of the cellblock he shared for two years with 11 other political prisoners, like himself, in what Mr. Masferrer calls a "concentration camp," in Santiago, Chile. He prefers to call it this, instead of jail, he says, because he was never convicted of any criminal behavior. The plaque was a birthday gift while in prison from fellow cellmates.

His only crime was actively helping the poor to better life in Chile, his native land. There, the dictatorship government often jails without just cause better-off who align themselves with the poor and their struggle for basic human rights and dignity.

His wife Eugenia, explains, "It doesn"t mean you are a communist if you are trying to help the poor but for the government there, you are."

"Once we had a democracy and we were as free as you are now here in America. But now we have a dictatorship and daily you fear for your life and your family."

"Sometimes," she continues, "I feel like a traitor to my own family. Here we have tranquility and we are happy and we work. They live under such pressure because you never know when you will be killed or they will come and take you away for something you said or didn"t even say or do."

Mr. Masferrer talks about the small cell where he spent two years. "it was nine foot by 12 foot, and we couldn"t stand up straight up in it. When I went in it there were seven of us and then we became 12. We were so crowded together.

"We were locked in that cell from 5 o"clock in the afternoon to 8:30 the next morning. We had no bathroom. We had to use empty paint cans. During the day when we where out working in the camps, we had five toilets for about 500 men, out doors in the open with no privacy at all from the long waiting lines to use them."
Prisoner"s families, friends or groups had to supply them daily with food or they would go hungry. "Sunday was my day to bring food to my husband and the 11 in his cell," recalls Mrs. Masferrer.

"We took turns feeding them. If I brought one loaf of bread, I knew 12 men were going to share that bread. Each thing had to be shared, you just didn"t bring food for your own husband or family member."

During her husband"s many months of imprisonment, she worked to support him in jai and their two daughters. Now, the Eldest, Lorena is 20 and a senior at the University of Buffalo. Maria 15, is freshman at Sacred Heart Academy in Eggertsvile.

Nine years the Masferrer family came to Buffalo as refugees, under the auspices of the Diocesan Catholic Charities. Today, they are leaders in Buffalo"s rapidly growing Hispanic community.

Mr. Masferrer teaches carpentry and woodworking to Spanish speaking prisoners at Attica Correctional Facility. He also attends night classes at Buffalo State Collage. His wife works as a technician in the blood bank at Roswell Park Memorial Institute.

They have not deserted the poor they worked with in their homeland, which is devastated by a poor economy, widespread unemployment and great numbers of poor without jobs, food or human dignity. Mr. Masferrer is coordinator of Buffalo"s Latin American Cultural Association also known as L.A.C.A.

L.A.C.A. is an interfaith organization uniting churches and cultural organizations with Latin American artists, craftspeople and impoverished Hispanic Families in 17 countries in Central and South America. It is part of the Spanish Apostolate of Buffalo Diocese.

Members of L.A.C.A. import native art, and handcrafts made by the poor people, not by famous Latin American artist. These items are made by the trained and skilled poor in such countries as Peru, Chile, Haiti, Columbia, Brazil, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

Through selling these beautiful and often unique crafts, L.A.C.A. volunteers are not only giving the poor a market for their handiwork but they are also giving them a sense of their own self-worth. The poor are also being given an opportunity to keep alive the distinctive ancient arts and crafts of the Maya, Inca and other Indian communities.

These are wonderful, beautiful thing," enthuses Mr. Masferrer as he shows some of the wide assortment of creative figures, woodcarvings, wall hangings, hand painted crosses, dolls and decorative folk art made by small community cooperatives and cottage industries in Latin America.

On Request L.A.C.A. members go to schools, churches, ethnic events and community programs to display and sell the wares. They also will speak to groups about conditions in the countries where they are helping the poor to help themselves.

L.A.C.A. members are working "to forge bonds of solidarity among all peoples of both hemispheres." They strive to strengthen North American concern, understanding and appreciation of Latin American culture and present-day conditions.

Mr. Masferrer finds that many people here have the wrong idea about Latin American people. "On television", he explains, "they see here all the violence coming from places like Chile. They think all the people are violent people. That is not true."

"There is a big social conflict going on because of great social and economic differences between the rich and the poor, but most of the population there is very quiet, very gentle. The man and woman are generally very soft."

At the time Mr. Masferrer was incarcerated, he was working as administrator of the policeman"s magazine in Santiago. He was also writing articles. Both he and his wife were helping the poor in their own community to clean up the land, pipe in water and give the children schooling.

While in the "camp" Mr. Masferrer ran the prison carpentry shop. An outside ecumenical church group supplied the shop with tools and materials. Through the tireless efforts of his wife and Catholic and other church organizations, Mr. Masferrer was freed after two years, when no charges could be found against him.

Once outside, he continued operating the carpentry shop for ex-prisoners. He worked for free for two years doing this, while his wife supported their family. In 1977, they came to Buffalo.

"In my country religious expression is very deep," reflects Mr. Masferrer. "We try to live the Jesus message every day. The Christ for us is the one who suffers and the poor are suffering in Chile."

"The priests and nuns in Chile are working with the poor for human right and are living just as poor as they do. This is strengthening the church in Chile because the poor see this. They see them dying for them. It is our duty to help them."

Now L.A.C.A. and El Buen Amigo needs volunteers. Call (716) 885-6343 and email: lacanewyork(at)yahoo.com for information or just come on in to the store located at 114 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo NY 14201 Monday – Saturday 11am to 7pm and Sundays 12noon to 5pm.