13 September, 2007Unionists call on an end to the persecution of the Mexican Miners' and Metalworkers' Union.
LATIN AMERICA/MEXICO: Affiliates of the International Metalworkers' Federation in Latin America and the Caribbean held demonstrations in front of Mexican embassies on September 5, calling for an end to the persecution the National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union (SNTMMSRM).
The actions were coordinated with the release of audit findings exonerating Napoleón Gómez Urrutia of embezzling monies from a $55 million fund owned by the union. Affiliates presented the audit findings and solidarity letters to Mexican ambassadors in their respective countries. The audit report, which was commissioned by the IMF and conducted by the company Horwath Berney Audit S.A., demonstrated that the charges of embezzlement or misappropriation of funds against Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, SNTMMSRM general secretary, were entirely groundless, and were thus absolutely false. The audit confirmed that all funds of the union's are accounted for.
In addition, those demonstrating demanded that the Mexican government:
• Stop its political persecution of Napoleón Gómez Urrutia and the SNTMMSRM;
• Immediately return all frozen funds to the union and to Gómez;
• Withdraw all charges still pending related to the $55 million fund;
• Take legal action against those responsible for the distortion of facts and falsification of documents;
• Investigate the involvement of Grupo México in the recent killing of Reinaldo Hernández González, and the detention and torture of 20 members of the SNTMMSRM in Nacozari;
• Recover the 63 bodies still buried for more than 17 months in Pasta de Conchos due to the negligence of Grupo México.
Among the organizations participating in this campaign was: the National Confederation of Women Miners of Peru (CNMM) which held demonstrations outside the Mexican embassy in Peru with signs criticizing Grupo México and supporting Napoleón Gómez; FETRAMIHM of Honduras and FENATRAMIM of the Dominican Republic; CONSTRAMET and CONFETEMA of Chile; AOMA of Argentina; and unions from Colombia, and others.
Other organizations which are not affiliated with the IMF also expressed solidarity with our SNTMMSRM brothers, such as the Cuban Social-Revolutionaries, who expressed their "vigorous fraternity with the Latin American solidarity campaign for Napoleón Gómez Urrutia and the National Miners' Union of Mexico."