Help father and son stay together and go home!

(Para español por favor lea mas abajo)

 *please also view 'letter' section under the photo on your left 
This is a story about love, a pure and sincere love which only a parent feels for his child.  Victor Meza from Cartagena, Colombia traveled a few years ago to the United States searching for what some refer to as the "American Dream" aspiring to provide his family a better life in a country full of possibilities. With a saddened heart he left his wife and son, Miguel Angel in Colombia with the intention of being able to bring them to join him while at the same time knowing he could support them better financially. However, as time went by their plans did not unfold as planned, they separated but yet always maintained close contact in order to keep the bond between Victor and his son. A short time thereafter she passed away, leaving their little boy orphaned. 

Six months thereafter, Victor had finally obtained his American Residency (green card) and was able to travel to Colombia to see his son, his most desired wish was to be with him and provide him all of the protection and love he needed. Upon his arrival to Colombia in 2008, Victor is faced with the surprise that Miguel Angel's maternal grandmother had every intention to keep his son at all costs and created a custody case in the Family Court of Cartagena, Colombia during the time when Victor was waiting for his son's United States Visa in order to be able to bring him to the United States with him.

A case created with lies, slander and deception in order to gain custody and prevent Miguel Angel from traveling to the US with his father. The maternal grandmother alleges that he abandoned his son and never cared or supported him financially during the time he was away. However, nothing is farther from the truth. Although, it had not been possible for him to physically be with his son during 4 ½ yrs (due to the lengthy process of his own Residency status in the US) he ALWAYS maintained the bond via telephone, internet, pictures, letters etc. with the help and support of Miguel Angel's mother. In addition, upon his arrival to the United States he always complied with his responsibilities as a father by sending monetary support on a monthly basis as well as packages with toys and clothes to care for his son during the whole time he could not be with him (there is supporting evidence of all this). There had also been a mutual agreement between both parents that as soon as Victor's legal status was resolved and Miguel Angel's was obtained, he would come to spend time with his father in the US.

Miguel Angel clearly is aware that Victor is his father and has told his grandmother more than once that "he wants to live with his dad".  He knows he has a family the United States composed of his stepmother, Angelina, his half-brother Michael and step-brothers, Christopher and Brandon whom he has created a bond with via telephone and video cams via the internet as well. 

Unfortunately, all of Victor's attempts to reconcile and work together to try to come up with a mutual agreement with his son's grandmother in order to find a solution have been to no avail. She does not wish to make any type of agreement with him, she insists that her grandson live with her and occasionally visit his father. Although, initially the temporary custody had been granted to her, Victor was able to revoke it (by filing a law guardianship by court appointment with a superior court which overruled the Family Court's Judge decision and gave the temporary custody to him while the case is in process).

Victor has been in Colombia with his son for the past 4 months while the case is in process and waiting for the final outcome on the ruling of the custody. Meanwhile, his family is completely torn apart because the Judge had initially imposed an order restricting the travel of Miguel Angel from the country and refuses to overturn it even though Victor currently has the temporary custody.  This custody case has been in process for 6 months creating an uncertain and stressful time for Miguel Angel and Victor who continues to wait in Cartagena away from his family but cannot leave his son as he is extremely attached to him. Victor and his family have decided it is best he stay in Colombia until the Judge makes his final decision even if it means remaining apart from his wife and children.  Living under these circumstances is breaking his and his family's heart however the sacrifice the whole family is making is well worth it for Miguel Angel's sake and happiness.

During this time Miguel Angel ended up losing his United States Visa as he had not had the opportunity to travel within the time specified by the US government. Victor was able to request another Visa for his son and is only waiting until the case is over in order to travel and unite his son with his family in the US. Victor's only request is to live with his son in the country he lives in with his family and continue to raise him giving him love and caring for his well being which every child is entitled to receive from his parent. 

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En Español:
*Por favor tambien mire la section titulada 'letter' debajo de la foto
Esta es una historia de amor, de ese amor puro y desinteresado que solo siente un padre hacia su hijo. Víctor Meza, de Cartagena, Colombia, viajó hace unos años a los Estados Unidos en busca del que algunos llaman el "Sueño Americano" aspirando proveer una mejor vida para su familia en un país lleno de posibilidades.  Con suma tristeza dejó en Colombia a su esposa e hijo, Miguel Ángel con la intención de poder traerlos con el y mientras por lo tanto proveer por ellos mejor económicamente. Pero las cosas no resultaron como ellos habían planeado y se separaron aun siempre manteniendo contacto constante para que los vínculos afectivos entre Víctor y su hijo no se perdieran. Pocos años después ella fallece dejando huérfano al pequeño Miguel Ángel. 

Seis meses más tarde, Víctor obtiene la Residencia Americana y logra regresar a Colombia en busca de su hijo, su más grande anhelo, para poder estar con él y brindarle toda la protección y amor que un hijo necesita. A su llegada a Colombia en el año 2008, Víctor se encuentra con la sorpresa de que la abuela materna de su hijo tenía la firme intención de quedarse con el pequeño por cualquier medio y para eso había colocado una demanda por custodia en el Juzgado de Familia de Cartagena, Colombia mientras que Víctor esperaba el transmite de la Visa para traer a su hijo a los Estados Unidos.

Una demanda con cantidad de falsedades, mentiras, calumnias y engaños, para así lograr tener la custodia y cuartar la ida del niño a vivir con su padre en los Estados Unidos. Ella alega que Víctor nunca veló por Miguel Ángel y lo abandonó desde su partida.  Pero nada está más lejos de la verdad. A pesar que no se le era  posible para Víctor poder estar físicamente con su hijo durante 4 ½ años (por el lento proceso de su propia Residencia) el SIEMPRE mantuvo contacto con el por teléfono, Internet, fotografías, cartas etc. con el apoyo y consentimiento de la madre de su hijo. Inclusive, desde su llegada a los Estados Unidos el siempre cumplió con sus responsabilidades como padre enviándole para la alimentación y cuidados a través de giros monetarios que realizo mes a mes desde que se fue hasta su regreso (de todo esto hay pruebas). También existía el acuerdo con la mama de su hijo de que cuando a Víctor se le solucionara su Residencia y obtuviera la de su hijo, el iría compartir con su padre en los Estados Unidos.   

Miguel Ángel sabe claramente que Víctor es su padre y le ha pedido mas de una ves a su abuela materna que el "quiere vivir con su papa en los Estados Unidos".  El sabe que tiene familia en los Estados Unidos compuestos de su madrastra, Angelina, su medio hermano, Michael y sus hermanastros, Christopher y Brandon de los cuales también ha creado una relación de afecto por medios del teléfono y video camara por el internet.

Desafortunadamente por mucho que Víctor trato de conciliar y llevar todo en buenos términos la abuela materna no quiere, e insiste en que el niño viva con ella y esporádicamente visite a su padre. A pesar de que inicialmente la custodia provisional fue concedida a ella, Víctor pudo solicitar (por medio de un fallo de tutela con la Corte Superior) obtener la custodia provisional logrando así que le dieran su hijo a el mientras que el caso sigue.

Víctor ha estado en Colombia con Miguel Ángel por los últimos 4 meses mientras que el caso continúa hasta que se dicte el fallo definitivo. Mientras esto pasa, ellos siguen separados de su familia en los Estados Unidos porque el Juez que inicialmente había impuesto una orden de restricción de la salida del país para Miguel Ángel no la quiere remover a pesar que Víctor actualmente tiene la custodia provisional. Este caso de custodia ha estado en proceso por más 6 meses creando así un ambiente de estrés e incertidumbre para Miguel Ángel y Víctor, que tiene que estar en Cartagena separado actualmente de su familia pero no quiere dejar a su hijo, que esta extremadamente apegado a el. Víctor y su familia han decidido que es mejor que el se quede en Colombia con el niño hasta que el juzgado dicte el fallo definitivo, aunque esto signifique estar lejos de su esposa y sus hijos. Estando bajo esta circunstancia le está rompiendo su alma y la de su familia pero aun así el sacrificio que hacen todos vale la pena por el bien y la felicidad del pequeño Miguel Ángel.

Durante este tiempo el niño perdió la Visa de los Estados Unidos porque no pudo salir del país en el tiempo requerido por el gobierno Americano.  Víctor, logro obtener una nueva Visa para su hijo y solo espera que el caso termine para que puedan reunirse con su familia en los Estados Unidos.  Lo único que el quiere es vivir con su hijo en el país donde viven su familia y seguir criándo a su hijo dándole el amor y bienestar que todo niño debe recibir de su padre.