Eduardo Verastegui: Mexican Actor, Producer & "Pro-Life" Social Activist

Eduardo Verastegui paces outside an abortion clinic — worried, praying, begging, and hoping that the women on their way into the place will change their mind.

The Mexican actor and producer is among a dozen or more "pro-life" activists who try to dissuade the women from ending their pregnancies. The day is gray and cold, matching Verastegui's outlook on the daily goings-on at a abortion clinics throughout Los Angeles.

Verastegui tries to draw the attention of the women who come to the clinic, but is mostly ignored. It's a dangerous mission — he says he sometimes he gets death threats from individuals accompanying the patients.

He remains undeterred, and then Karen comes his way, slowly, with what seems to be a tremendous burden on her mind. Verastegui approaches her and asks for a few minutes of her time. Karen appears to be a bit confused. She doesn't raise her eyes, but agrees to talk with Verastegui.

Verastgui derails her route to the the abortion clinic, and Karen joins his small group. As the morning moves on, Karen seems more at ease among the crowd of strangers. She agrees to approach the Mexican actor's truck, where she is shown a video titled "Hard Reality," providing statistics about abortion rates among Hispanics in the United States.

The video ends, but Karen does not leave the truck. She is crying, and says she is now more aware about the decision that she is about to make. By the time she leaves the truck, she is determined and proclaims: "No! I am not going to have an abortion." The words seem to reverberate throughout the "pro-life" crowd present, praying outside the clinic.

"This is not just a movie, but it is part of real life — the sad reality that takes place in a country that supports legalized abortion," Verastegui says of the video. Then he turns to Karen and tells her: "This is a miracle. I admire you, and am very proud of you, Karen. I could have told you 40,000 things to change your mind, but you made the final decision. For me, you are a hero."

Karen seems less anxious, but still a bit confused. She is an immigrant from Guatemala, and says she she did not know what to do, or whom to turn to, before meeting the Verastegui.

"I now feel better," Karen says. "I was confused, and didn't know what to do. Today I met these nice people who helped me clear my thoughts, and think about the value of life."

Karen says she now plans to talk to her mother about her pregnancy.

"I didn't want to tell my mom about it, but I now feel much better and will talk to her," she says. "Now I know that I have options, and I have decided to have my son. I did not know what I was thinking."

Karen then receives a promise she never expected when she set out for the clinic.

"I promise that you will never be alone and that through the Guadalupe's Mantle Foundation you will always have a friendly hand," says Verastegui. "God works in miraculous ways. I have just returned from a trip to your country, Guatemala. I arrived last night at 2:00 a.m., and have not slept well. It was very tempting for me to stay in bed, as my alarm clock rang this morning and rang again, but my mission was to come to this place. There are no coincidences, there are just miracles."

Verastegui is well known as a model and actor in various Spanish-language movies and TV dramas. He sports his occasional beard on this recent day, and talks about his self-described mission of speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.

"The simple act of standing outside of an abortion clinic, where this procedure is practiced every day, especially among Hispanic women, is moving to me," he says.

The idea of the gatherings outside abortion clinics, he says, is to try to dissuade those who have decided to have an abortion by giving them information about the potential consequences, and presenting them with the video.

"The video touches the heart of some women — it is hard, but it is the reality," Verastegui says. "Some women are truly affected by watching the video, and often cry. When the video ends, we explain that this procedure takes place inside these clinics, and we also explain that there are health-related risks."

Verastegui says he plans to take new steps on his mission next year. He hopes to launch a "pro-life clinics" near abortion clinics as part of the Guadalupe's Mantle Foundation.

"The idea is to provide advice to women who may feel confused about their pregnancy, guide and support them, and continue providing information outside abortion clinics," he says. The project is ambitious, but it is well worth it."

Nora Estrada is a writer for Impulso.