Union Condemns Retaliation for Defense of Cananea Miners at Grupo Mexico

The United Steelworkers (USW) today condemned the arrest of one of its international representatives by Mexican customs officers on Monday.

Manny Armenta, a USW sub-district director in Albuquerque, NM, was arrested while on his way to meet with attorneys for the Mexican mineworkers’ union called Los Mineros.  The USW has been supporting the mineworkers who have waged a nearly four-year strike against Grupo Mexico with a copper mine property at Cananea in Mexico’s northern state of Sonora.

At about 2 p.m. (MST), a customs officer stopped Armenta’s car, which is leased by the union, accusing him of driving a stolen vehicle.  Armenta presented documentation to no avail.  After searching the vehicle with dogs, the officer attempted to extort a “fine” of 185,000 pesos (about $15,000).  When Armenta refused to pay he was arrested, detained overnight, and released early Tuesday, Jan. 25 after posting a bond of 80,000 pesos (about $7,750) ... more