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Lucero family spokesman is high-profile NYC activist

Dan Janison | dan.janison@newsday.com; Staff writer

November 30, 2008

Self-styled activist Fernando Mateo, based in New York City, rolled into Suffolk County shortly after the alleged bias murder of Marcelo Lucero and soon began speaking on behalf of the victim's family.

He operates as president of a nonprofit group called Hispanics Across America and denies the comparison that some in politics are quick to make about his role: as a kind of Latino Rev. Al Sharpton.

"No, no, no," he said last week. "Al Sharpton is Al Sharpton, and I am Fernando Mateo. I don't do what he does and he doesn't do what I do. I am very pro law-enforcement and always have believed in our justice system. "

While unfamiliar to many Long Islanders, the Dominican-born Mateo, 50, is a frequent presence on TV in the city. He differs from, say, your local activist minister rattling the political establishment for a cause. He has had a long career in the carpet business, says he's now a stockbroker and "I own a few construction companies and do what I have to do to make a living."

More striking are his aggressive, high-profile activities on behalf of the national and state Republican Party. Mateo even stood before the Republican National Convention in 2004 and hailed the immigration proposals of President George W. Bush. "Over the past four years, he has welcomed immigrants to our shores and given us more hope and opportunity to care for our families," Mateo gushed from the Madison Square Garden podium.

By then, Mateo had made a big splash in GOP circles for raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Bush and for former Gov. George Pataki. Mateo sat at the inaugural dais of Mayor Rudy Giuliani, under whose administration he led a "toys for guns" exchange aimed at getting weapons off the street (he's held a pistol license himself). He's also contributed thousands to the state GOP and to some Democratic pols.

First known as leader of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, formed amid a wave of cabbie slayings in the 1990s, Mateo is the key figure in Hispanics Across America, which he said has only one paid employee, an executive director.

The fatal stabbing of Lucero, from Ecuador, in which a group of high school students have been charged, put County Executive Steve Levy to a political test. A familiar Long Island figure, the Rev. Allan B. Ramirez, pastor of the Brookville Reformed Church, slammed Levy, saying: "Along with those seven men, Steve Levy, who has demonized the immigrant community, also has blood on his hands." Mateo, a Westchester resident, also targeted Levy in his remarks, saying: "Today we are asking for his resignation" for "sowing hatred against Hispanics and immigrants."

Levy, a Democrat who won re-election with both major parties' support, denies any such role - and insists that seeking to curb illegal immigration does not mean creating a climate for violence.

While Ramirez also has been consulting with Lucero's relatives and groups looking to help, Mateo reached an agreement with Lucero's brother Joselo to act as family spokesman, the brother said.

However, the late Lucero's mother and sister in Ecuador have no such agreement with him - and, as reported by Newsday's Bart Jones, reacted to an upgrading of charges in the homicide case differently than what Mateo said on their behalf.

When asked how he came to be spokesman, Mateo said Tuesday: "They reached out to me and in essence asked for my support. ... It must have been someone related to the family. I don't remember off the top of my head; it was two weeks ago."

Then he added: "Whenever there are issues of the rights of Hispanics or injustices to Hispanics, we will get involved."

Staff writer Melanie Lefkowitz contributed to this column.