Chiquita Held Liable for Deaths During Colombian Civil War
A federal judge in Florida has ruled that Chiquita Brands International, the world’s largest banana company, is liable for the deaths of four Colombian union leaders who were assassinated during the country’s civil war.
The ruling, issued on Monday by Judge Kenneth M. Marra of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, is the latest development in a long-running lawsuit against Chiquita, which has been accused of paying millions of dollars to paramilitary groups in Colombia in exchange for protection from union organizers.
The lawsuit was brought by the families of the four union leaders, who were killed in the 1990s, and by the United Steelworkers union, which represents banana workers in Colombia. The plaintiffs argued that Chiquita’s payments to the paramilitary groups created a “nexus” between the company and the killings, and that the company was therefore liable under the Alien Tort Statute, a federal law that allows foreign nationals to sue in U.S. courts for violations of international law.
In his ruling, Judge Marra agreed with the plaintiffs, finding that Chiquita had “aided and abetted” the killings by providing financial support to the paramilitary groups. He also rejected Chiquita’s argument that it was immune from liability under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally bars lawsuits against foreign governments and their agencies.
The judge’s ruling is a significant victory for the plaintiffs, who have been seeking justice for the deaths of their loved ones for more than a decade. It is also a major setback for Chiquita, which has long maintained that it was merely a victim of the violence that plagued Colombia during the 1990s.
In a statement, Chiquita said it was “disappointed” with the ruling and would appeal. The company has previously settled similar lawsuits for a total of $25 million.
The case against Chiquita has attracted widespread attention, and has been the subject of several books and documentaries. It has also sparked calls for greater accountability for companies operating in conflict zones, and for greater protections for workers who organize unions.