2 April, 2009A panel of Mexico City Federal District Court judges has granted Napoleon Gomez Urrutia legal protection against extradition in a huge win for the Mexican Miners' Union.
MEXICO: A Mexico City Federal District Court decision has invalidated arrest warrants and Mexican Government extradition requests for Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, leader of IMF affiliate, the National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union (SNTMMSRM).
Gomez is living in exile with his family in Canada after receiving death threats.
Gomez, the democratically elected general secretary of the SNTMMSRM was forcefully removed from his position in 2006.
Gomez spoke out against the Mexican government and Grupo Mexico mining company in response to a tragic mine accident in Pasta de Conchos that left 65 miners dead, many of them members of SNTMMSRM.
The Mexican Government and Grupo Mexico have continued a campaign of harassment against Gomez, the miners' union and its members.
Grupo Mexico has been linked to the physical assault, kidnapping and murder of miners' union members and their families.
In 2006 the IMF lodged a complaint with the International Labour Organisation accusing the Mexcian Government of violating Convention 87, including illegally intervening in union activities, seizing union assets and forcing government appointments into union elected positions.
IMF affiliates throughout the world have shown their solidarity to our Mexican union brothers and sisters through letter writing campaigns, public pressure, and demonstrations.
"The continuing legal and personal persecution of Napoleon Gomez must end," said Ken Neumann, United Steel Workers National Director for Canada.
USW has helped Gomez and his wife secure work papers enabling them to remain in Canada.
The attorney general of Mexico is still pursuing Gomez by trying to move the court proceeding to another district.