Notably, however, Gómez Urrutia is living in exile because he is charged with embezzlement of 55 million dollars, and new and dissident miner unions have been formed.
For ALC-CIO's reasoning, click here. Some highlights:
"His activism quickly incurred the wrath of the Mexican government and major mining companies. In February 2006, the government struck back, withdrawing legal recognition of Gómez’s election as the leader of the union, but Gómez continued undeterred. When a February 19, 2006, explosion at Grupo Mexico’s Pasta de Conchos mine killed 65 mineworkers, Gómez publicly accused the government of 'industrial homicide.' In response to this criticism, the government accelerated its attack by filingcriminal charges against Gómez and other union leaders... In the face of this campaign of repression, Gómez took the difficult decision to leave Mexico and go to Vancouver, Canada. From there he has waged a five-year effort to win justice for his union and for all democratic unions in Mexico...For his courageous commitment to defend the aspirations of Mexican workers to higher living standards, to democratize labor unions, to promote rule of law and a better future for their country, the AFL-CIO is pleased to nominate Napoleón Gómez Urrutia...I am confident that a lot of miners, including ex-workers and associates of Gómez Urrutia's own union, will take great issue with this interpretation of events.
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