Ford sued for kidnapping, torture in Argentina
Ex-union organizers in Argentina have filed a lawsuit against the Ford Motor Company and the company's local arm, claiming that they were abducted and tortured inside a Blue Oval facility during the country's 1976-1983 military dictatorship.
According to the civil suit, Ford allegedly "planned and executed a precise and concrete plan to violently get rid of the labor union activities, with the purpose of establishing a terrorism of enterprise that would allow it to freely reduce its staff and...speed up production lines," engaging in beatings, mock firing squads, and electric shocks.
Those bringing the suit are seeking an undisclosed amount of money, along with a possible formal apology by the automaker.
Mercedes-Benz has also been singled-out for alleged violent crimes under the regime, including the kidnapping of some 18 employees from 1976-1977, fifteen of whom have never been found.
[Source: Morningstar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RayBob 3:08PM (2/24/2006)
They don't apologize for building crappy cars and trucks . . . why should they apologize for kidnapping and torturing?
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GCH 3:13PM (2/24/2006)
This has been aorund the media, even at the BBC. Ford Argentina built the first generation Ford Falcon up until 1991. The military branch there was in fact one of their best clients, if not the best, therefore the Falcon became a symbol of the dirty war and the military junta tha ruled the country from 1976-83.
To say the least, I bet Ford knows plenty about what was happening at the time, given that foreign companies had to abide by the rules i order to make business, something that reminds Google and its recent deal with Chinese government.
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klaatu 3:16PM (2/24/2006)
Just wait until the evening news, if they see fit to put this on, somehow they'll try to blame President Bush for it. Or Vice President Cheney.
Not forgetting that Ford's founder, the original Henry Ford, was a huge anti-semitic. So this is not the first time that Ford has had issues with this kind of situation.
But adapting Stalinist type activities in a foreign division of an American company is abhorrent, and if Ford is found guilty, I hope they have to pay TONS of money to these families. Mercedes, likewise. (Not forgetting that Mercedes own Chrysler).
"When in Rome do as the Romans do" may be fine under some circumstances but not for kidnapping, torture and murder. Leave all of that to the so-called "peace religion" and it's adherents, eh? Otherwise, what moral high-ground has America to stand on?
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Richard Warren 3:52PM (2/24/2006)
They'd do it here if they could and a lot of posters here would say, "good we finally got rid of the UAW" just read some of the bloggers comments regarding the UAW right here.
Here we just "legally" bankruprt the company, pay of the boys at the top and hire you back at 40%wages and we think it's ok and say it's the global economy. Uh Huh!
There is something else here to remember under US law, innocent until proven quilty, any one can bring a suit, proving it in court and getting a jury to buy into, something else. Remember OJ?
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Gardiner Westbound 4:07PM (2/24/2006)
It beats the hell out of dealing with grievances. They would hardly ever get escalated to the second level.
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Josh 4:28PM (2/24/2006)
Kidnapping and torture and long held treasured traditions in Argentina. I wouldnt be surprised if Ford had nothing to do with this
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PJ_Godzilla 4:32PM (2/24/2006)
Uh, RayBob, there's this minor issue of scale...
Not to mention that Ford doesn't wire somebody's testicles to a car battery in order to get them to write a check. You can just leave the dealership, no apologies required, if you don't want to buy a car. At least that's been my experience. Perhaps yours has differed substantially.
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Jaimie B 4:53PM (2/24/2006)
Kidnapping and torture are pretty serious offences. But didn't Ford get into trouble of another sort here in North America?
I think it's called ARSON.
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BALKY 6:58PM (2/24/2006)
Lovely,>>>>>>>corporations don't apologize, they don't listen, they could care less, they just want to "sell more product" and "maximize their profits". Are corporations the answer? Are they respectable? I don't think so, a person who is "respectable" would take responsibility, apologize for their misgivings and right the wrongs, companies DON'T do that, a mom & pop operation for the most part would, in addendum communism is alive and well in government and corporations. I personally can't justify dedicating my life 2 or supporting neither.
DEATH TO THE INFIDELS!!!!!!!!
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x23 8:23PM (2/24/2006)
am i the only one that realizes this is a civil suit? anybody can sue anyone for anything... i can sue you for having an outrageous haircut.
you will not go to jail for having an outrageous haircut however.
see the difference?
if a real crime (especially one as egregious as claimed) was committed one has to wonder why this isn't a criminal matter.
or i could ignore that and just go : "OMG! FORD IS TEH KIDNAPPINGEST HITLERS EVAR!!!"
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John P. 1:29AM (2/25/2006)
I can't wait for Limbaugh and Hannity to defend Ford's crimes as they have the oil companies and Wal-Mart. I'm sure we'll get a lecture about free market economics! To Bush's GOP, the free market is corporate code for slave labor. Why does Ford commit such crime in Latin America? Because it can! Why do the Christians that own Wal-Mart use slave labor in China? Because they can! Corporations hate the rule of law. It's all about the bottom line! And when the day comes they can behave like that in the USA, they will because they can! www.stopthelie.com
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PJ_Godzilla 9:38AM (3/01/2006)
Allright, who let John P. and Balky in? I thought this was a no-radical-leftist-idiot zone.
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