Guillermo sits comfortably at his newspaper kiosk in central Melbourne as he reflects on a civil war more than 14 years ago that led him and his family to flee El Salvador.
His streetwise view of the world from the prime position of this bustling
footpath gives him a unique insight into the challenges of starting a
new life at the age of 51. ‘There are things that are so painful
that I have lived through I would prefer not to remember them. And sometimes
it is so hard to mention them … so difficult.
‘For reasons that I won’t mention, I had to leave El Salvador.’
Just as he’s about to continue, a customer arrives to buy a copy of the Herald Sun. Guillermo, now 66, folds the paper and courteously hands it over. He speaks affectionately of his regular clients, and of how he thrives on being part of the hub of the city. He switches with ease to reflecting on his past again.
‘I am not going into details. The only thing I can say is that I
am a witness, victim and protagonist of what happened in El Salvador.’
In 1986, Guillermo’s adopted son living in Australia travelled to
Guatemala to help him and the rest of his family escape the civil war
in this strife-ridden part of Central America.
‘I don’t know if it was courage that led my whole family, my wife and five children, to pass through to Mexico. But it is a real ordeal to travel as an illegal from Guatemala to Mexico, especially in the condition I was in.’
The Rivera family spent a year in Mexico seeking refugee status through various channels. Even when Guillermo finally managed to have his case heard and accepted through the United Nations and the Australian embassy in Mexico, the cost of flying to Australia and the associated medical tests and legal fees were prohibitive.
There was further confusion due to complications in the case and it wasn’t until some generous sponsors appeared on the scene that Guillermo was free from the fear of having to return to El Salvador.
‘There are still people of humanitarian character around who are worth being grateful for. It’s not necessary to arrive bleeding in order for people to recognise that one is in danger.’
In September 1987, the Rivera family flew to freedom—to Australia—where they were transferred to a hostel in Maribyrnong, west of Melbourne. With no English and at the age of 51, Guillermo started the long and hard search for employment. He managed to find work with a concrete manufacturing firm, an area in which he’d had some experience in El Salvador.
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Guillermo also passed through periods of unemployment as he and his family struggled to adjust to life in Melbourne. `I lost the job because of a lack of transport—no car—and the public transport left me a long way from work. ‘Since then of course I have always wanted to work. The will to want to do something is very strong in many Latin people—the desire to work, the desire to find one’s niche—but sadly it isn’t possible for older people.’ A refusal to rely on the welfare system led him to seek other work alternatives and he eventually opened his own shoe-shining and repair booth in the centre of Melbourne. ‘Even though I had never done this in my country, I have had to do it here—but I don’t feel any shame.’ |
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‘Some people were surprised because it seemed like an immigrant job for them. Many Australians even came up to tell me that I had dealt a deep wound to the heart of Melbourne!’
Guillermo shrugs his shoulders and laughs heartily as he sells another newspaper. ‘But, above all, it was a nice experience—an experience with people on the street. Not all were friendly, but not all rejected me.’
An exorbitant rise in his insurance cover and the municipal fees for his shoe-shining booth licence in consequent years made it impossible to keep the humble business afloat. With all the bureaucracy and red tape involved in such a simple venture, he wonders what motivation there is left for unemployed people to start anything new. Despite this setback, however, he didn’t remain idle for long
‘Now I’ve got this kiosk to sell newspapers and magazines if I’m lucky!’ He laughs. ‘So … here we are!’
Guillermo admits that it has only been in the last few years that he has stopped to reflect on the injustices that had forced many Salvadorans to flee their homeland. He says he did not truly understand the meaning of martyred Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero’s words until he left El Salvador.
‘The only way we can understand this type of message is through sorrow and through love. And maybe by having experienced this pain in Mexico, and because of the love I had for my own life and for the lives of my own family, I had to stop, to meditate and to try to absorb and savour the true message of martyrdom of Monsignor Romero.’
Guilllermo has tried to carry his understanding of this message of justice with him through his involvement in various community groups in Melbourne and through his outreach to the Hispanic community. He has been involved in the formation of a small Christian community whose aim is to maintain contact with Mexico, El Salvador and Nicaragua. They strive to debunk many of the stereotypes that exist in Australia surrounding El Salvador and set up an organisation called Sister Community to encourage Australians to visit El Salvador and share their skills in areas of need.
The Rivera family’s fresh start in Australia 14 years ago has been a time of many surprises for Guillermo. ‘It has involved another type of learning for me. I thought that I had fulfilled my purpose in life, with my children all grown up, but here I was having to start learning again.’
A young girl arrives at the kiosk to inquire about one of the fashion magazines Guillermo has on display. He ensures her that it’s the latest edition. Guillermo smiles and thinks back over his time in Australia. ‘It’s been a marvellous experience.’
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