UPDATE: Alvaro Orozco will stay in Canada. Read the details here!
Time is running out for queer artist Alvaro Orozco, but there is good news. His deportation to Nicaragua has been delayed until June 9.
Dozens of his supporters showed up to a late morning rally Tuesday at the 519 Community Centre to keep the pressure on Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which has yet to deliver a verdict on his application to remain in the country on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Alvaro believes that as a queer man he will be in danger if he returns to Nicaragua, particularly from his father who has said he would kill any gay son of his. Despite this, he has been under a deportation order since 2007.
There remains hope in the LGBTQ community that Alvaro will be allowed to stay, but as long as the 25-year-old remains behind bars in the Rexdale immigration detention centre his supporters will remain vocal.
“It’s evident that the June 9 deportation date is not enough,” said Craig Fortier of the Let Alvaro Stay campaign. “We want Alvaro to stay. Alvaro has worked in this community, he has built relationships in this community, he’s become friends in this community, he’s built family in this community. He’s spent his whole adult life in this community.”
Brendan Sawh of the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line also spoke in support of Alvaro, who was given the organization’s award for outstanding contribution to arts and culture earlier this month. The award ceremony is on June 10, and it remains unclear if Alvaro will be around to accept it.
The Let Alvaro Stay campaign’s organizers plan to hold more rallies on his behalf in the coming days.
