Casa Alianza and Children on the Streets of Latin America

He is theexecutive director of Casa Alianza, afiliated with Covenant House, which provides counselling, education, rehabilitation, legal intervention, and a safe, loving environment to Latin American street children.Currently, Mr. Harris is embroiled in a legal battle concerning his role in exposing a baby trafficking ring in Guatemala.Mr. Harris asserted in the investigation report of the Procurator-General's OfFce that oneof the county's powerful lawyers, married to a former President of the Supreme Court of Justice, used her "influence" to facilitate illegal adoptions.She responded by suing Mr. Harris for perjuy, defamation and slander.Ifconvicted,Mr.Harris couldface up tofive years in one of Guatemala's most notorious prisons.In addition, Casa Alianza is currently bringinga caseagainst the Guatemalan state bejbre the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, concerning the brutal tortureand murder offive street children.We took afeu, minutes of Mr. Harris's time to ask him about the work of Casa Alianm.Kelly Mannix for Refirge: Describe the mandate of Casa Alianza.Bruce Ham's: Casa Alianza works to assist the street children of Latin America, whose numbers have been estimated at 40 million (for all of Latin America).Last year, we assisted some 4,000 children.Our mandate involves helping them, through a four-tier program, to leave the streets and get back on the road to ameaningful and productive life

Geography · Latin Americans · Political science · Latin American Literature Studies · Law