On Saturday 4 February 2006, Plutarco received a message threatening him and his family pushed under the door of his house. It said the following:
“You’ve really got a problem now, don’t give us an excuse or one day you’ll arrive home and there won’t be anyone there. Watch yourself and your family, we really want to get you. Don’t try and be clever, because were watching you. You’ve been warned.”
This threat comes directly after the company has been obliging workers in Bogotá to sign documents stating that Coca-Cola does not violate human rights. The company has also released various messages stating that several workers are responsible for calumny against the company.
It also follows actions on 31 January 2006, when there was a protest outside the Corferias [Exhibition Centre in Bogotá] where Coca-Cola was sponsoring the world cup exhibition. Various workers who were protesting against the violence that we have suffered were verbally abused and photographed by people wearing Coca-Cola uniforms and identity tags. These people threatened to call the secret police and to find out all their names and get them sacked.
For these reasons we hold the Coca-Cola Company responsible for the safety of the workers and their families, seeing that the company’s disinformation campaign is also responsible for such aggression.
Luis Javier Correa Suarez
President, SINALTRAINAL
