HAND DELIVERED LETTER TO POPE FRANCIS (TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH TO ENGLISH) Buenos Aires, December 23, 2013 His Holiness Pope Francis The Vatican City Of my highest consideration: I am writing to you, sending a strong embrace and affectionate greetings. You may remember who I am. In 2009, Father Esteban Morinigo, my godfather, consulted with you about the situation that was going on and that still continues to this day. Given that your conversation with Father Esteban was a long time ago and perhaps confusing me with all the people that flock to you, it is perfectly understandable that you do not remember me. Thats why I´m going to tell you my story from the beginning. My name is Juan Carlos Ruffier. My son Jonathan Charles Ruffier, was taken unlawfully from Argentina by his mother with the use erroneous judicial orders. With a false accusation of Abducting my own son, I was imprisoned, judged and finally found innocent of all charges in an Argentine federal court, in which the presiding federal judge ruled that my sons habitual residence is Argentina. I did not commit any crime. This trial lasted more than two years. I have been fighting for the past 8 years in the argentine legal system so that they return my son to his native country. During this time I have known nothing of my sons life, since his mother has done an excellent job at hiding him from me. On May 6th of this year, Interpol informed that my son is in Gomel, Belarus, abandoned by his mother since October 2008. They also reported that his mother lives in South Carolina, United States. In this report from Interpol, there is a document from the FBI that states that I have a warrant for my arrest for the same offense. That is when I got in contact with Charles Camp, my attorney in Washington D.C., who advised me not to leave Argentina because of the delicate situation with the FBI. In other words, the FBI has an international warrant for my arrest but they do not make it public nor act upon it. This is the equivalent to say that I am an American citizen held prisoner with the argentine borders by the FBI. If I leave this country, the FBI will imprison me of a crime I did not commit, and for which I have already been tried for in Argentina violating international norms of Non bis in idem or better known as double jeopardy in United States case law. Charles Camp has been the only attorney that the FBI has given information about their conflict with me. This situation is causing me severe economic and professional problems, since I am a commercial pilot, which in order to exercise my job I have to fly out of Argentina, risking my freedom, to be capriciously judged for a second time in the United States, innocent of any crime and with the kindness of the FBI, which keeps me separated from my son, left to grow up without a father. These actions have become a clear violation of human rights, something that I would not wish to any parent or child. All I know is that a judge in the state of Texas made the mistake of issuing orders when she lacked subject matter jurisdiction, confirmed by the court of appeals in that same state, which concluded that she lacked jurisdiction to grant orders relevant to my son or to issue a warrant for arrest on me, for which I am kept prisoner in Argentina. From this unfortunate judicial error I was unjustly imprisoned and my son was illegally taken from Argentina. The costs to defend myself and be reunited with my son are very high. However, Charles Camp opened an account in order to receive donations from people who want to help me recover my son. I also opened a website, ruffierfund, where the public can see a video I made that explains my plight and how the Argentine and American judicial systems prevent me from seeing my son. On this page there are also systems to raise funds and a petition for people to sign so that the President of Argentina would receive me and that she, somehow intervene diplomatically to recover my son. I wrote a letter to Mrs. Kirchner requesting a brief audience but this was denied. I understand that the Madam President has a very busy schedule, and I have a full understanding that yours is much more, so I will make this letter as brief as possible so I do not take more of your time. My son was born on March 13, 2002, the same day that Your Holiness was appointed the 266th Pope. On that day I had faith that my son, on the day of his 11th birthday; as if it were a message from God, that he would associate the word papa (Spanish for dad) with Papa (Spanish for Pope), and like you, that hes Argentine, and for a moment recollect, - that he has a father waiting for him in Argentina, and that he would somehow know that I have never stopped fighting to be with him again – that I will never give up for any reason . In the videos on ruffierfund I use images of Your Holiness to explain how I felt the day I saw you out on the balcony after the announcement that you became Pope. That day, like every March 13th for the last 8 years, I was depressed, wondering if I would ever again spend a birthday with my son. Im sure, or rather say, I feel very strongly in my heart that on that day Jonathan received this miraculous message from God. Hopefully someday I can prove it. Finally I want you to think that Jonathan has been without his father for a long time. Please help me so that he does not have to suffer one more day. In 2009 the reply from Father Esteban is that the church does not interfere with judicial issues. I am not asking for any sovereign or judicial intervention from the Holy See. I fully understand that Your Holiness cannot help us that way, but now I ask something more powerful than the power of sovereignty and more powerful than human justice. I humbly beseech Your Holiness, grant us your blessing and pray for Jonathan and me, that the Lord guide us until we are reunited. Since I am so tired of fighting, pray for me to have the strength to continue. I gift to Your Holiness the most cherished objects I have of my son, his original certificate of baptism and the last photograph I took of him. I beg, Your Holiness, pray for our souls. Juan Carlos Ruffier, II Centro de Recuperación de Jonathan Charles Ruffier (CENTER FOR RECOVERY OF JONATHAN CHARLES RUFFIER) Julian Alvarez 16 -1° “B” Buenos Aires, Argentina zip code C1414DRB TEL: ARGENTINA (54) 11 4858-1214 UNITED STATES (210) 338-9441
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 02:20:31 +0000
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