LOS ANGELES, CA – The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) issued the following statement regarding Mario Guerra Obledo, “TheGodfather of the Latino Movement”:

“The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) joins the Latino community at large in remembering the life and work of civil rights pioneer Mario G. Obledo, who recently passed away at the age of 78.

Obledo was a co-founder of numerous Latino civic institutions, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and the Hispanic National Bar Association. He was also an early leader of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Additionally, he spent many years in public service in California and Texas.

In 1998, President Clinton presented Obledo with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, describing him as having ‘created a powerful chorus for justice and equality.’ We are deeply indebted to him and will miss him greatly.”