Among members of Mexico's Los Mineros union, support for exiled leader Napoleon Gómez Urrutia is so strong that Mexican companies continue to negotiate contracts with Gómez despite his exile.

The latest's example of such extraordinary negotiations occurred last week in Toronto, where officials for the Mexican operations of steelmaking giant ArcelorMittal sat down at the bargaining table with Gómez and other Los Mineros officials.

Persecution by Mexico's right-wing government has forced Gómez to live in exile in Canada since 2006. The outspoken leader of one of Mexico's largest, truly democratic unions, Gómez escaped threats and trumped-up charges of embezzlement from the Mexican government. Gómez continues to be persecuted and unable to return to his country, even though international auditors and Mexican courts have exonerated him of any wrongdoing ... more