Radio Mundo Real

For the fifth time, and a few hours before it was supposed to take place, the State Attorney´s Office postponed a public hearing prior to the trial against four sugarcane workers and two people who joined them in a strike in 2008 against sugarcane employers.

This strategy of delays is connected to the response of organized workers in massive mobilizations every time their leaders are called to appear.

Several of the sugarcane refineries had denied their workers an authorization to attend the hearing, to be held in Buga municipality in Valle del Cauca. However, the workers decided to join the people who are facing serious charges –sabotage, conspiracy to commit crimes, etc- without any real evidence against them.

Colombian President, Álvaro Uribe, is directly intervening in this conflict, according to what Alberto Bejarano, adviser to the Senator of the Polo Democrático Alternativo Party, Alexander López, said to Contagio Radio station at the daily show “Otra Mirada”.

Bejarano, and Juan Pablo Ochoa are the people facing trial, together with sugarcane workers José Oney Valencia Llanos, Omar Enrique Sedano, Raúl Chacón and Oscar Bedoya.

During several days before the hearing, tens of Colombian and foreign organizations sent letters to the State Attorney´s office claiming that the charges be dropped.

Photo: http://red-latina-sin-fronteras.lacoctelera.net/