Fue asesinado el Gerente de la oficina de FLOC en Monterrey, México.

Un empleado de FLOC (Comité Organizador de Trabajadores de Granja)- Santiago Rafael Cruz- fue hallado atado, amordazado y muerto el lunes 9 de abril de 2007, en la oficina de FLOC en Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Su muerte aparenta ser un asesinato.

Cruz, 29, es del área de Puebla de México pero vivía en Toledo, Ohio, Estados Unidos desde 1998 hasta 2007, trabajaba para FLOC, un sindicato que fue formado en 1967 por el presidente del mismo Baldemar Velásquez y la familia Velásquez.

Sr. Santiago Rafael Cruz

FLOC representa a más de 10.000 trabajadores mexicanos, quienes trabajan fundamentalmente en los estados de Ohio. Michigan y Carolina del Norte, en Estados Unidos

Su muerte está bajo investigación, pero sin arrestos hasta el momento.

Cruz era muy activo en FLOC, como demuestran las fotos de las marchas por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes en Ohio.

Manager of FLOC’s Monterrey, México office found murdered

A Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) staff employee—Santiago Rafael Cruz—was found bound, gagged, and dead on Monday, April 9, 2007, in FLOC’s office in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. His death appeared to be murder.

Cruz, 29, was from the Puebla area of México but he lived in Toledo, Ohio, USA from 1998 to 2007, working for FLOC, a union formed in 1967 by union president Baldemar Velásquez and the Velásquez family, and which is headquartered in Toledo.

FLOC represents over 10,000 Mexican guestworkers, who work primarily in the states of Ohio, Michigan, and North Carolina, USA.

The death is currently under investigation, but, to date, no arrests have been made. In a media advisory, FLOC stated that “FLOC believes that the murder was a targeted attack on the union….FLOC has dealt with intimidation and harassment both in the U.S. and México.”

Cruz was active in FLOC as depicted in the photos of immigrant rights’ rallies in Ohio at www.laprensa1.com  

According to FLOC’s media advisory, anyone wishing to “donate money to help with transporting Santiago’s body home, his funeral, and securing the Monterrey office from further attacks, can make a check payable to: FLOC c/o Santiago Tragedy Fund, 1221 S. Broadway St., Toledo, OH 43609.”

A press conference at the FLOC Headquarters is scheduled for Thursday, April 19, 2007 at 10:00AM to update the public on the Cruz murder in Monterrey.

Kaptur urges full probe into death of FLOC’s Santiago Rafael Cruz

U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), acting on a request from FLOC, urged U.S. government officials in México to press for a complete investigation into the murder of Santiago Rafael Cruz.

Congresswoman Kaptur conveyed the request by telephone to the political officer in the U.S. consulate in Monterrey, México.  She said consulate officials told her an investigation was being conducted by police in the state of Nuevo León and they promised to follow the case closely.

Congresswoman Kaptur also spoke by telephone with FLOC's founder and president, Baldemar Velásquez.  She said Velasquez believes the killing of Cruz was related to FLOC's efforts to promote workers’ rights in México. 

Congresswoman Kaptur said she was assured by U.S. officials that “this investigation will be a priority for the consulate,” and they promised to stay in touch with her as it proceeds.

“As I learn more about this brutal murder,” she said, “I ask myself whether it could have been encouraged by FLOC's noble efforts to stop the illegal trafficking in continental labor caused by NAFTA that  preys upon desperate Mexican agricultural workers whose lands were taken from them by the government of México. 
 

“NAFTA set up conditions on the continent for the cruel exploitation of millions of landless peasants and workers in México.

“Baldemar and FLOC are trying to give people hope and legal rights against the harsh treatment by both the governments of the U.S. and México, and a labor recruitment system that is rife with corruption, exploiting landless peasants through a corrupt bounty system imposed by unsavory labor recruiters.

“Many times I have said NAFTA has created an exodus of people from the Mexican countryside of massive proportion that fuels illegal immigration. The manner in which these people are being exploited is a continental sacrilege. Now, this death reminds us how brutal and unforgiving the NAFTA induced labor system has become across our continent. It is time to renegotiate NAFTA and require continental labor standards that uphold the dignity of human life, not extinguish it.”

 Santiago Rafael Cruz at Immigrant Rights Rally in Columbus  Ohio in March of 2006

 Santiago Rafael Cruz at March in Columbus  Ohio in 2006

 Sr. Cruz at a 2006 Sept 30 FLOC Convention Rally in Toledo  Ohio

Sept. 30, 2006 Convention