Blocks from the U.S. border in Tijuana sits the shrine of Juan Soldado (“Soldier Juan”)—local hero turned patron saint of undocumented migrants. His followers, who have decorated the shrine with ...

“Tell her that her grandmother, on her mother’s side, was a powerful witch,” said Amy Venezia, pointing toward Erika the veteran bartender at Nelson. “Let her know that she wasn’t a bad witch, she was ...

TIJUANA — A soldier accused of the rape-murder of a girl and executed by firing squad would seem an unlikely candidate for sainthood. But for the poor and the downtrodden who come daily to the tomb of ...

In 1938, 24-year-old Mexican soldier Juan Castillo Morales was executed for the rape and murder of eight-year-old Olga Camacho. Despite his well-publicized confession, people began doubting his guilt ...

Like many cities, Tijuana is rich with folklore and eerie legends. One such tale is the story of Juan Castillo Morales, also known as Juan Soldado, the unofficial patron saint of migrants. In 1938, ...

Our third folk saint, Juan Soldado, is better known in Tijuana than he is in the Pimería Alta. His real name is Juan Castillo Morales, and he died in Tijuana, Baja California, on February 17, 1938.