Obama administraton refuses travel visa to Mexican human rights/union leader honored by the AFL-CIO!

[Better Believe It]

Exiled Mexican Labor Leader Honored by AFL-CIO
by David Macaray
November 18th, 2011


On November 16, Napolean Gomez Urrutia, General Secretary of the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalurgicos y Similares de las Republica Mexicana (National Union of Mine, Metal, Steel and Allied Workers of the Mexican Republic), commonly known as “Los Mineros,” received the AFL-CIO’s 2011 “George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award.” The ceremony was held at the AFL-CIO’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The annual Meany-Kirkland award (named after the AFL-CIO’s first two presidents) was established in 1980. Previous winners include Zimbabwe union activist Wellington Chibebe, Ela Bhatt, founder of India’s Self-Employed Women’s Association, and the Independent Labor Movement of Egypt. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka was joined by Leo Gerard, President of the United Steel Workers (USW) in making the presentation, and U.S. Congress members Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and Mike Machaud (D-ME) also gave brief remarks.

Since 2006, Gomez Urrutia has lived in exile in Vancouver, Canada, forced to seek asylum after the Mexican government filed numerous criminal charges against him. The government not only went after him, they launched an ugly, aggressive attack on the union itself, freezing its bank accounts, declaring all strikes to be illegal (including sending in federal troops to break them up), and exhorting mine employers to replace Los Mineros with company-sponsored lackey unions.

Being named recipient of the Meany-Kirkland Award was a great honor. Too bad Gomez Urrutia wasn’t there to accept it. Alas, the Obama administration refused to grant him a travel visa. It’s true. His wife, Oralia Casso de Gomez, had to accept on his behalf. Just when we thought President Obama couldn’t be any more gutless or jelly-legged when it comes to defending the underdog, he goes and proves us wrong.

Read the full article at:

http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/11/exiled-mexican-labor-leader-honored-by-afl-cio/

Oooppppssss. I forgot to mention that President Obama recently described himself as a "warrior for the working class". BBI


-------------------------------------------



Mexico’s Mineros Leader Honored with Meany-Kirkland Award
by Mike Hall
November 16, 2011

Exiled Mexican mine workers union leader Napoleón Gómez Urrutia will be honored with the AFL-CIO’s 2011 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award tonight at a ceremony at the AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says Gómez Urrutia is a ”truly courageous man who has shown us how difficult and how important it is to be an independent leader of a democratic union.”

From Vancouver, Gómez Urrutia says:
We have continued with our global struggle for justice, respect and dignity for all workers because we know that we have the support and solidarity from unions around the world.

Because he couldn’t secure a visa to travel to the United States, his wife Oralia Casso de Gómez will accept the award on his behalf.


Napoleón Gómez Urrutia


Oralia Casso de Gómez, wife of Napoleon Gómez Urrutia, and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

Read the full article at:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/11/16/mexicos-mineros-leader-honored-with-meany-kirkland-award/#more-64722

[gateley]

1. WHO in the administration makes these decisions? At what level?

[TheWraith]

3. Some career civil servant in Immigration, no doubt. nt

[Better Believe It]

4. Such important decisions must be cleared by someone very high up in the White House

Certainly the White House and State Department were directly involved in a decision involving such a high profile personality.

The AFL-CIO couldn't get the administration to approve a simple travel visa!

This was not some "low level" functionary simply making a "mistake" due to ignorance.

[TheWraith]

5. So every single travel visa for anyone who's done anything is approved by the White House?

Or are you simply suggesting that some people/groups should have special access by virtue of being friends of the administration?

This is stretching even for your usual anti-Obama trash.

[SidDithers]

22. +1...nt

Sid

[gateley]

6. I have a hard time believing that just from my own experience

in private industry where people made decisions like this all the time - this would never have made it out of our office, much less to the head of the corporation's inner circle. Just not realistic.

[Better Believe It]

17. Have you worked for the White House and been involved in such big decisions?

Comparing the White House to a business that doesn't make any decisions regarding the granting of travel visas is not a good analogy.

[gateley]

25. No I haven't but I think the government is even more convoluted

than a big business.

I still think I'm probably right. :)

[Major Nikon]

15. Here are the events which led up the bogus charges against Napolean Gomez Urrutia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Oaxaca_protests

It really gives you something to think about when you think about the rights working Americans have to organize and bargain collectively. This is how America was back in the 20's and it is the way the GOP would like us to return.

[TheWraith]

2. Probably has something to do with his fleeing prosecution on money laundering charges.

He fled to Vancouver after being charged with stealing $55 million dollars from the union he led.

[gateley]

7. He was acquitted in 2010 - or is this a different charge?

http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=24957&l=2

[TheWraith]

11. Same one. But the US generally doesn't admit known fugitives from justice.

And if you read down, he's still got at least one arrest warrant open on him in Mexico even after one acquittal.

[gateley]

Well it kind of fries me that Vancouver let him in when I can't

go because of a DUI! Not the point, I know. :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Care to link?

[TheWraith]

9. Here you go.

Actually there's two different versions, one with him being accused of embezzling $61 million:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=55b2f4d5-4916-4a14-b8a2-f2c087810d73

The second one says $55 million.

http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/mexico/1188013-1.html

The second link also says that workers in his union have filed more than 7,000 complaints against him due to their not receiving funds they were entitled to from the union.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. From the article

Salazar was the one who made the decision to withdraw recognition from Gomez Urrutia as secretary-general of the SNTMMSRM earlier this year. The STPS instead recognized retired union leader Elias Morales Hernandez, even though a majority of rank-and-file members still consider Gomez Urrutia the union's true leader, despite the embezzlement charges (see SourceMex, 2006-03-01).

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/mexico/1188013-1.html#ixzz1eBZKiUQH

The union had a few high profile strikes and the government has been trying to bust it. Cananea comes to mind.

Further context. And yes, the Mexican government has a history going to Diaz Ordas at least in the 1950s.

[TheWraith]

14. Kind of irrelevant. The US government isn't in the habit of accepting fugitives from justice.

And the US isn't going to make a value judgment on whether the charges are legitimate when you're talking about openly telling a major ally you think they're full of shit. Even if they were, and that's going on the assumption that this guy is NOT part of the massive corruption present in Mexico.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Actually very relevant

as the context matters. For the record good luck for Canada extraditing to Mexico...

This is part of a Global move and you ignore all those dots at your peril

[cottonseed]

10. Why do some posters on this site appear to be direct conduits to the RNC?

[TheWraith]

12. Because propaganda activities targeted at destroying Democrats are tolerated here at the moment...

As long as they're "from the left." And no, you're not the only one to notice that there's a loophole there so large that one can drive a supertanker through it.

[Better Believe It]

18. They aren't. Just apologists for terrible actions.

[Bobbie Jo]

20. LOL

Whooooooosh. :rofl:

[SidDithers]

23. Ahahhaha....

:thumbsup:

Sid

[Raine]

21. Exactly nt

[treestar]

19. We need a lot more objectivity on this

Information on both sides. We cannot be demanded to condemn the administration for this until we know why the State Department found this person ineligible for a visa.

[SidDithers]

24. Unrec...

Keep trying.

Sid

[Ikonoklast]

26. Mr. Obama didn't write those laws.

Seems like your beef should be with the government of Mexico who charged Mr. Urrutia and forced him to flee, making him ineligible to enter this country legally.

Creating an international incident over this would be pointless.

But, anything to **** on this president is A-OK, just as long as it comes froma pseudo-leftist perspective.