02/12/2026
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our friend, advisor, and brother in mission and in Jesus Christ, Father Fernando Hería.
Many in the Cuban Diaspora knew him as the beloved “Cura Guajiro.” To us at GLA, he was far more than a title or a public figure. He was present at the founding—guiding our early steps not only as a board member but also as a spiritual advisor and steady hand when the work before us felt overwhelming.
Before answering God’s call to the priesthood, Father Hería lived another vocation—as a lawyer. He never stopped being one at heart. Even after leaving the courtroom for the altar, his legal mind, moral clarity, and pastoral wisdom continued to shape our approach to defending fundamental rights and advancing justice in some of the world’s darkest corners.
On some of our most difficult cases—particularly those involving political prisoners and the wrongfully detained—he counseled us quietly and humbly. He prayed with families. He steadied advocates. And in ways often unseen and unpublicized, he helped open doors that secured the release of hostages and political prisoners and restored hope.
He did this work with GLA without fanfare, without press, and without ever seeking recognition. Service, to him, was simply the natural expression of faith. And he could always tell a good joke—especially when we needed it most, which, at times, was often.
Born in Cuba on October 13, 1950, Father Hería came to the United States as a young exile and served both his adopted country and his Church with distinction—first in the U.S. Army, then as a criminal defense attorney, and ultimately as a priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Miami. He served as a parish priest and rector at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Miami, and later as Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity (La Ermita de la Caridad) from 2017 to 2022. He was also a member of the Order of Malta.
Father Hería’s life was a bridge: between law and faith, exile and homeland, justice and mercy. For those of us privileged to work alongside him, his counsel shaped not only our strategy but also our conscience. We ask our supporters to join us in prayer for the repose of his soul and in gratitude for a life poured out in service to God and the cause of human dignity.
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei (Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him).
Requiescat in pace, Cura Guajiro.
