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Our Western Canadian District is promoting the sales of T-shirts to raise funds for Juan Linares, imprisoned leader of Mexico’s Los Mineros Union.

Libertad Juan Linares’ fundraising t-shirts can be ordered from the District 3 office for $20. All proceeds will assist Juan Linares during his imprisonment and fight for freedom.

Linares was jailed in December 2008 after he returned from attending the BC Federation of Labour Convention in Vancouver. He remains locked up at the Reclusorio de Norte prison in Mexico City as a political prisoner, without clear charges and with no bail provisions.

In July of this year a group of eight international trade unionists, including USW’s Canadian National Director Ken Neumann and District 3 Director Steve Hunt met with Juan Linares in the vastly overcrowded prison.

They were allowed to visit Linares because they were part of a prestigious 50-person international delegation of parliamentarians and union leaders, led by Canada’s NDP Leader Jack Layton. The international mission drew attention to the Mexican national government’s deplorable treatment of trade unions – particularly Los Mineros.

Both Neumann and Hunt were moved by Linares’ strength and commitment. Even under such horrid conditions, Juan expressed the resolve and determination that is his trademark within the union.

“Linares told us that he understood his place in the struggle of Los Mineros, which is also part of the struggle for labour rights and human rights in Mexico,” Steve Hunt recalls.

Linares divulged that prison authorities offered him immediate release – if he would “only” renounce Los Mineros and its exiled leader Napoleon Gomez. With a look of steel, Linares recalled to Neumann and Hunt how he refused to do so. He said there has been no wrongdoing, and he wasn’t going to lie and turn on his comrades simply for his own comfort.

Moved by such a show of strength, the eight international guests pledged their unions’ continued support and efforts for Linares’ liberation.

The jailing of Linares is part of the Mexican Government’s and Grupo Mexico’s nearly 4-year campaign of repression and political persecution against Los Mineros. Los Mineros Leader Napoleon Gomez remains in exile in Canada.

A local prosecutor has stated Linares has committed no crime. Federal authorities have appealed the ruling, keeping him in prison on charges of fraud.