Oil unionists report paramilitary death threats

[Judi Lynn]

Oil unionists report paramilitary death threats
Thursday, 01 December 2011 18:11
Toni Peters

Colombian union workers have reported receiving death threats from paramilitaries operating in an oil exploration area.

In an exclusive interview with Colombia Reports, the president of the oil workers union, USO, said workers had received verbal, email and pamphlet threats of death, capture and kidnap.

Rodolfo Vecino said four unidentified persons who said they were from the AUC told leaders of the union in Bogota that he now had a "sentence" and at any moment could be captured or kidnapped.

The union leader said, "They said that this was for our activities in Pacific Rubiales, and that we are an obstacle."

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/20841-oil-unionists-report-paramilitary-death-threats.html

LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x5077197

[Peace Patriot]

1. I'm on dialup and can't get the full article. Which corporation is involved? Do they say?

I noticed, at Colombia Reports, a scrolling headline that says that oil production was up 17.5% in Colombia in November. I wonder if this is related--death threats/intimidation of oil workers...production/profits up. Actually, I don't wonder about it very much.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Peace Patriot, just saw your post. Check your PM for the article. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

3. Thanks! So Pacific Rubiales is the company (Colombia's biggest private oil corp).

On superficial reading, I thought Pacific Rubiales was a place. Didn't think that it might be a company. Naturally suspected Exxon Mobil, Occidental Petroleum, Chevron, et al. We know that Drummond Coal and Chiquita were/are operating this way (--using death squads to deal with their "labor problems"). Not surprising that the local rich elite/corporate establishment imitates its "Big Brothers," which, via Washington DC, supplies Colombia with $7 BILLION in military aid plus U.S. military support as the umbrella cover for decapitation and terrorizing of the labor movement in Colombia.