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Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

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Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it’s not nearly as much as it should be, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Incrementalism normalizes dystopia, in my view; this becomes just another contingency that can be budgeted for. Imagine, by contrast, the impact that executing one Chiquita executive would have.

I don’t know if I necessarily agree with eye for an eye mentality, but risk of prison or enough money that it makes you actually consider your decisions, seems like a better path. The goal being that it is enough so that it cannot and should not be planned for and can’t be covered by insurance or similar.

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#52
post #50

Through at least two administrations, Republican and Democrat, Bush and Obama, the U.S. has funded anti-leftist militarism in Colombia, to the military and to paramilitary groups like AUC. It's not just a fruit company and it's not just a relic from the past. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2013/12/21/co...

[flagged]

Also calling it anti-leftist is just poor framing, paramilitar organizations have very close ties with the right-wing politicians here.

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#53

See also the Banana Massacre instigated by the United Fruit Company against plantation workers making outrageous demands like limiting the work week to 6 days. 100 years later, that company operates under the name Chiquita. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_Massacre

[deleted]

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#54
post #50

Through at least two administrations, Republican and Democrat, Bush and Obama, the U.S. has funded anti-leftist militarism in Colombia, to the military and to paramilitary groups like AUC. It's not just a fruit company and it's not just a relic from the past. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2013/12/21/co...

[flagged]

Maybe they meant the university

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#55
post #50

Through at least two administrations, Republican and Democrat, Bush and Obama, the U.S. has funded anti-leftist militarism in Colombia, to the military and to paramilitary groups like AUC. It's not just a fruit company and it's not just a relic from the past. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2013/12/21/co...

[flagged]

I apologize. I sometimes introduce typos, especially when using autocomplete on tiny mobile keyboards. I'm sure it's just me and never happens to anybody else.

Anyway, I corrected that typo. Please, oh please, take me seriously now.

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#56
post #52
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Also calling it anti-leftist is just poor framing, paramilitar organizations have very close ties with the right-wing politicians here.

> "Paramilitary organizations have very close ties with the far-right politicians here."

Does that make it more likely those paramilitary organizations are on the left, or on the right?

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it’s not nearly as much as it should be, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Incrementalism normalizes dystopia, in my view; this becomes just another contingency that can be budgeted for. Imagine, by contrast, the impact that executing one Chiquita executive would have.

Perhaps they would hire two executives.

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#58
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also calling it anti-leftist is just poor framing, paramilitar organizations have very close ties with the right-wing politicians here.

> "Paramilitary organizations have very close ties with the far-right politicians here." Does that make it more likely those paramilitary organizations are on the left, or on the right?

I think they're implying that anti-leftist isn't the same as far-right. A centrist could in theory function as an anti-leftist.

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#59
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Paramilitary organizations have very close ties with the far-right politicians here." Does that make it more likely those paramilitary organizations are on the left, or on the right?

I think they're implying that anti-leftist isn't the same as far-right. A centrist could in theory function as an anti-leftist.

Are there anti-leftist militarists in Colombia who are centrist?

Re: Banana giant Chiquita held liable by US court for funding paramilitaries

#60

Allegedly also Coca-Cola, Drummond and even some local companies like Postobón have been involved with paramilitary groups and sponsored crimes against civilians - and haven't faced any consequences. But this is a good precedent.

Certain there are others. Naomi Klein wrote about Ford paying to have its own Argentine employees murdered during the junta in the 70s, apparently to prevent unionization.
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