YOU THOUGHT BIANCA MARROQUIN WAS B'TOWN'S SO-SO MR. AMIGO? HOW ABOUT MELISSA CASTRO AMIGA DE MATAMOROS?

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

During a presentation of the Mister Amigo Association following the Hands Across the River ceremonies, “Mr. Amigo 2022” Bianca Marroquín spoke before a small group of guests at the Gladys Porter Zoo.

According to some of the guests, the meeting room where the event was held was unbearably cold and they had to endure the frigid room and partake of a dinner that left much to be desired.

"It was awful," said one. "But Marroquin spoke beautifully about her youth when students from Matamoros would walk across the bridge to attend school (St. Joseph Academy) here. She was articulate and spoke warmly about coming back and forth between Matamoros and Brownsville often three or four times daily. but it was so cold that I left and decided to skip Friday night's parade."

When authorities from Matamoros and Brownsville reaffirmed the ties of brotherhood and friendship, it was in the presence of the “Valor Nacional” and “Distinguished Guest”, actress and singer Rocío Banquells and  Marroquín.

The delegation from Matamoros was led by Matamoros mayor Mario Alberto López Hernández who was accompanied by the President of the DIF, as well as by the guests honored within the framework of the 2022 Mexican Holidays, among them, by the "Matamorense Pride", Rodrigo de la Torre and by Brownsville's Melissa Castro, named "Friend of Matamoros."

How quickly things change. It was almost 12 years ago that she – along with mother Linda and brother Erasmo, among others – were defendants in federal court for giving inadequate immigration advice and spoiling their clients' applications for residence and citizenship through their notary public offices, some of those plaintiffs from Matamoros.

That case lingered in federal court and two years later, Melissa Castro was dropped from the lawsuit as a defendant. Since then, Castro has been involved in Brownsville Raza, a altruistic organization that has sought to provide social assistance to many people, including immigrants from Mexico and Central America.

The delegation was also made up of the United States Consul in Matamoros, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese, and by the 2022 Mexican Festival Committee, among other personalities.

Later the "National Value" and "Distinguished Guest" visited and toured the emblematic Casamata Museum, where he signed the book of distinguished visitors of Matamoros and received the keys to the city, delivered by the Matamoros mayor as did De la Torre and Castro also signed the book of distinguished visitors and received recognition, thanking them for the invitation to participate in the festivals with the greatest tradition.