Monday, March 19, 2007

Chiquita pleads guilty to aiding Colombian rebels

Earlier today, representatives of Chiquita Brands International pled guilty to charges that they paid off Colombian paramilitary and guerilla groups to serve as security. The plea was part of a deal with U.S. prosecutors that would fine the company $25 million yet without identifying executives that approved paying off $825,000 in illegal payments.

From Colombia’s perspective, Chiquita is not out of the woods and free of prosecution. President Alvaro Uribe has joined the calls of the Colombian public who wants Chiquita executives to be extradited from the U.S., and the Colombian press observes that local prosecutors are reluctant to drop the charges against Chiquita.


Links- Bloomberg, Boston Herald, CNN, International Herald Tribune, El Tiempo

Image- Univision

No comments: