Coca-Cola Co. Denies Involvement in Murder and Rape, Blames "U.S. Judicial System"

[Judi Lynn]

Posted: March 11, 2010 02:42 AM
Coca-Cola Co. Denies Involvement in Murder and Rape, Blames "U.S. Judicial System"

The Coca-Cola Company has long marketed itself as being synonymous with American values. However, after a recent complaint filed in the New York Supreme Court alleging they had knowledge of and sought to cover up acts of murder, rape, and attempted murder at a Guatemalan subsidiary, "America's Real Choice" may now have to face up to American justice.

The case Jose Armand Palacios v. The Coca-Cola Co. (102514/2010) has been filed under the Alien Tort Claims Act and alleges that a subsidiary of Coca-Cola based in Guatemala City, INCASA, engaged in terror tactics against the families of Palacios and Jose Alberto Vicente Chavez because of their union activities. The plaintiffs allege that they were targeted with the full knowledge and support of company officials in Atlanta.

According to the case filed on February 25 (court document here):

Coke was directly involved in assisting its agent, INCASA, to achieve its goal of terminating Mr. Palacios for his union activities. Indeed, Coke was bargaining over the security of Mr. Palacios and his family as a way to get him to waive his right to employment and reinstatement. Mr. Palacios was nearly executed on January 28, 2006, the day after he declined again Coke's offer to give him security if he would waive his right to reinstatement. Coke shared the goal of its agent, INCASA, to get rid of Mr. Palacios, and weaken the union.

The court filing goes on to point out that the U.S. State Department has documented "a significant increase in the number of killings of trade union activists and their family members." It further states that the plaintiffs were subjected to violence and threats by local managers, that Vicente's son was murdered, and his daughter was gang-raped "as part of a campaign of violence directed at her father."

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-michael-johnson/coca-cola-co-denies-invol_b_494476.html