national media blitz of, 184
not afraid of losing fortune in fight against the Miners’ Union, 183
opposition to Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón’s run for Senate, 175
opposition to workers, 227
order for appearance at Mexico City’s North Prison, 291
payment by, for slanderous articles, 95–96
payments and gifts to Abascal, Carlos María, 129–130
payments and gifts to Cabeza de Vaca, Daniel, 129–130
payments and gifts to Díaz, Francisco Gil, 129–130
payments and gifts to Javier Salazar, Francisco, 129–130
payments and gifts to Muñoz, Ramón, 129–130
position at Grupo México, 30
powerful friends of, 275
priorities of, 184
private meeting of, with Quintero, Alexjandro, 130
publicizing of bogus charges against Napoleón, Gómez, xviii
reckless company of, 54
refusal of, to enter own mines, 90
relationship with Lozano, Javier, 306
requesting of documents regarding audit by International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), 194
responsibility for mine disaster and, 67
spending of money toward the cause, 183
statements made by, 127–130
strategy of, against Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón, 101–102, 125, 129–130
threat of Miners’ Union to, 34
wealth of, 25, 163
Larrea Ortega, Jorge, acquisition of Compañía Mexicana de Cobre and Compañía Mexicana de Cananea by, 25
Las Palmas, 161
Las Truchas steel mill, 145–146
Latinoamericana de Productos Químicos, 39
LaVenture, Robert, as representative of United Steelworkers Union (USW), 108
Layton, Jack, 158
meeting with Lozano, Javier, 169
Lázaro Cárdenas
armed attack on workers at, 125
failed eviction at, 130
invasion of, 122
meeting of Fox, Vicente’s security cabinet prior to invasion of, 122
Michoacán branch of, 117
assault on strikers at, 117–120
industrial port of, 114
news reports from, 120
protesting of attempted
imposition of Union Local 271
from, 115
Sicartsa mill complex in, 114
situation at, 115
ultimate victory of workers at, 123
Lázaro Cárdenas-Las Truchas (currently Arcelor Mittal) Steelworks, 6, 15
Lázaro Cárdenas Sicartsa mill, strike at, 123
L’Ecole des Hautes Études (Paris), 4
Leipen Garay, Jorge, 267–268
former undersecretary of Energy and Mines, 114
Lepanto (hotel), 42
Limón, Leonardo, 7
Linares Montúfar, Juan, 118, 241
accusations against, 107
Ancira, Alonso’s charges against, 243–244
arrests of, 268, 290
arrest warrant for, 134, 267
attempted bribery of, 295
call from Rivero and, 295
disadvantage of, 264
fending off of charges against, 251–252
government authorization of searches of, 132
jailing of, 248, 273, 283–284, 286, 290
limited protection for, 136
offering of freedom to, for betrayal of Los Mineros, 251–252
persecution of, 255
release from jail, 294–295
Rivero Legarreta proposal for, 292–294
as secretary of union’s Safety and Justice Council, 242–243
taking care of Miners’ Union’s business, 55
trial of, 254–255, 257–258, 291–292
Lira, Carmen, as upstanding journalist, 190
Local 64, Gómez Sada, Napoleón, as head of, 1, 13
Lomelín, Jaime
CEO of Grupo Peñoles, 272
education of workers and, 26
as enemy of miners, 177
London School of Economics, 4
Lopez Mateos, Adolfo
government of, 143
as secretary of labor, 164
López Mayrén, Joel, 41
López Obrador, Andrés Manuel, claims on election win as fraud, 173
Lopez Portillo, José, 253
Los Mineros, 13, 126, 208
anger of members of, over identification of leader, 72–73
biannual convention of, 217–221
calls for Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón to step down, 130
compromising democracy and autonomy of, 102
convention of, in May 2000, 18
dislike of Morales, Elías, 49
Gómez, Napoleón’s tenure as general secretary of, 17–18
Gómez Sada, Napoleón (father), as leader of Local 64 of, 1, 13
government’s oppression of, 169
growth and progress of, 303
Grupo México’s attempt to place Morales, Elías at head of, 52
international support for, 205–207
leaders of, 115
loyalty of Linares Montúfar, Juan to, 295
loyalty to Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón, 109
Morales, Elías and, 48
negotiation of wage and benefit increases for, 28–29
negotiations with ArcelorMittal, 304
offering of freedom to Linares and Pavon for betrayal of, 251–252
open aggression toward, 115
opposition to Fox, Vicente’s proposed changes in labor laws, 48
protests against removal of Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón, 126
recent developments in campaign against, 111
reliance on legal advisors, 213–217
request for law that penalizes
irresponsibility and criminal negligence, 308–309
story of, xx
strides of, on behalf of workers, 298–299
strike by, 116
struggle to secure safe working conditions, 55
support for, 158
violent campaign against Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón and, 72
Los Pinos, 154
Lozano, Javier
in defense of interests of Grupo México, 167
Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón’s challenge to public debate, 189
as labor secretary, 166–168
Lozano Alarcón, Felipe, as secretary of labor, 159
Lula da Silva, Luiz Ignacio, 110
Luz y Fuerza del Centro (Central Power and Light), demise of, 249
M
Macroeconomics, 6
Madrazo, Roberto, 174–175
Malentacchi, Marcello, 157
International Metalworkers’ Federation’s general secretary, 194
as speaker at International Labor Organization (ILO) conference in Geneva, 220
Manuel López Obrador, Andrés, efforts to discredit, 299
Maquiladora Health & Safety Support Network (MHSSN), study of mine, 192–202
Maquiladoras, workplace hazards in, 199
Marti, José, 21
Martin, David J., 288, 299
Martinez, Mario, testimony of, 260
Martínez Molina, Armando, expel of, from national convention of Miners’ Union, 18
Martin Perales, José, lies spread to press by, 106
Matamoros, Tamaulipas, 113
Methane gas
exposure to, in mines, 78
gas meters for measuring, as defective, 80
Mexicana Airlines, bankruptcy of, 162
Mexicana de Cananea
Larrea Mota Velasco, Germán
Feliciano as legal representative of, 128
privatization of, 127, 145
Mexicana de Cobre de Nacozari, privatization of, 127
Mexican banking commission (CNBV), on banking-fraud investigation, 241
Mexican baseball, 100
Mexican Constitution, 84–8
5
company responsibility in, 79
subsoil mineral resources in, 143
Mexican Credit Institutions Act, Article 113 bis of, 108
Mexican Electrical Workers’ Union (SME)
aggressive actions taken against, 179
agreement not to attend Labor Congress, 44
Alarcón, Lozano’s clash with, 168
Calderón’s administrations maneuver to destroy, 249
solidarity with National Women’s Front, 301
Mexican left, loss of opportunity to create change, 24
Mexican manual labor, exploitation and discrimination against, 148
Mexican Mediation and Arbitration Board, 126
Mexican Mint. See Casa de Moneda de Mexico (Mexican Mint)
Mexican Revolution (1910–1920), 1, 212
Mexico
abuses of law that could be practiced in, 97
capital deficit in, 150
capital flight from, to foreign countries, 150
class struggle in, 313
Department of Treasury in, 164
desire for rule of law in, 300
legal, economic, and political structure of, 153–154
mining industry in, 311
money to be made off of resources, 147
need for change in, 310
need for new ownership culture, 152
types of offenses in, 242
Mexico City North Prison, 252
Microeconomics, 6
Mier y de la Barrera, Jorge, 167
Miguel Trujillo, José, 253
Milenio (publication), 185, 190
Mine 8, lack of alternative exit tunnel in, 82–83
Minero magazine, publication of, 13
Miners, education of, 26–27
Miners’ Insurance, 27
Miners Union
announcement of Day of Global Solidarity with, 157
bylaws of, 72
Calderón, Felipe’s persecution of, 163
creation of opportunities for member participation in politics, 27
election of Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón, as general secretary of, 21, 27
founding of, 55
Grupo México’s publicity campaign against leaders of, 182
Morales, Elías’s efforts to destroy autonomy of, 96
prevention of explosion and, 92
selection of Joint Health and Safety Commission at each work site, 84
signing of collective contracts by, 28
slander campaign against, 98
solidarity with United Steelworkers Union (USW), 31
Strategic Solidarity Alliance between United Steelworkers Union (USW) and, 32
struggle for better wages and benefits, 147
taking care of business of, 55
See also Los Mineros
Miners with Homes, 27
Mines, working conditions in, 76–77
Mining conflict, current state of, 297
Mining Trust
accusation of fraud involving, 45, 107
assets from, 192–193
bank fees for administration of, 193
creation of, 31
defending union leaders against allegations of mishandling of, 45
money in, 127
need for hard proof that money was not missing from, 192
1990 creation of, 202
ownership of contents of, 128–129
termination of, 194
Monclova, Coahuila, planning of national convention in, 73
Money-laundering charges, SIEDO and, 286–287
Monterrey, Nuevo León (city), 1
Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, alliance with union, 26
Montesquieu, 195
Montúfar, Juan Linares, as secretary of the union’s Security and Justice Council, 52–53
Morales, Elías, 18, 125
accusations of, 241, 252
aid from Grupo Villacero to, 115
ambitions of, 16–17
charges against Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón on inappropriate use of Mining Trust, 95–96
claim of, as leader of miners, 44
claims of, on money belonging to Miners’ Union, 127–128
company-backed takeover attempt, 95–96
damage done by, 52
declaration of workers of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, as terrorists, 117
dirty interests of, 22
dislike of, by Los Mineros, 48–49
as double-crosser, 24
efforts to declare strike illegal, 117
efforts to destroy autonomy of Miners’ Union, 96–97
efforts to prosecute for forgery, 133
as enemy of miners, 177
expel of, from national convention of Miners’ Union, 18
expulsion from union, 22, 45
freezing of bank accounts of individuals charged in complaint of, 125
as general secretary of the Miners’ Union, 71
granting of toma de nota by Salazar, 176
as Grupo México lackey, 241
Grupo México’s attempt to place, at head of Los Mineros, 52
interest in position of general secretary, 16–17
labor department support of, 54
lies of, 109
“mother claim” against Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón, 115, 126, 299
presentation of toma de nota designating him as leader of Miners’ Union, 47
reputation of, 15
signing of pardons by, 293–294
stripping of official title of, 108
stripping of title as general secretary, 180
toma de nota of, 62
as traitor, 305
Morales, Melquiades, 165
Morales Ibañez, Marisela, on retention of funds, 286
Moreira, Humberto (Governor)
Abascal, Carlos María’s warning at inauguration of, 174
handling of catastrophe at Pasta de Conchos and, 62
inauguration of, 40
public allegations against Fox, Vicente, 171–174, 179
suppression of workers and, 228
Mother claim, 107, 115, 126
Muñoz, David Ibarra (Secretary of the Treasury and Public Credit), offering of job to Gómez, Napoleón, 6
Muñoz, Ramón, Larrea Mota Velasco, Germán Feliciano payments and gifts to, 130
Muñoz Ledo, Porfirio, 164
Mussolini, Benito, 49
Múzquiz, 57
MVS Radio, 190
MX (magazine), 187
N
Nacozari mine
payments to workers of, 31
privatization of, 146
Nájera, Andrés, as president of Eureka Committee, 224
Nájera, Celso, 131
representation of union by, 106–107
Napistas, 185
Napoleón, Don, 77
“Napoleón for Nuevo León” project, 7–8
National Action Party (PAN)
accusation of PRI administrations of cronyism, 306
policy toward mines, xvii
National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV)
formal opinion of, 125
opinion from, 129
review of charges by, 108
ruling on, 126
National Commission for Human Rights (CNDH), 307
del Toro, Marco Antonio’s presentation of complaint before, 307
National Commission on Human Rights, 141
National Democratic Change (“Cambio Democratico Nacional” in Spanish) (CADENA), creation of, 27, 314
National Energy Regulatory Commission, 145
National Executives Committee in Section 120 of La Cienega de Nuestra Señora, 14
National Financial Authority, 127
National Heritage, Department of, Gómez, Napoleón, as analyst and researcher, 3
National Miners’ Union
insistence on fair treatment for laborers, 154
political persecution against, 153
; National Mining and Metal Workers Union, 217
Gómez Urrutia, Napoleón as general secretary of, 17, 19, 316
May 1960 convention of, 2
“A National Plan for Productivity, Job Generation and Responsible Co-management of the New Mexican Unionism,” 306
National Teachers’ Union, 226, 228
National Union of Mine, Metal, Steel and Allied Workers of the Mexican Republic, xvii, 286–287
aggression against, xx
founding of, 1
Gómez Sada, Napoleón, involvement of, in, 1
National Union of Workers in the Exploration, Exploitation, and Benefit of Mines (SUTEEBM), 208–210, 247
members of, at mercy of company’s whims, 210
National University Workers Unions (STUNAM), agreement not to attend Labor Congress, 44
National Women’s Front in Struggle for the Dignity of Workers of Mexico and the World, Gómez Urrutia, Oralia as honorary president of, 301
National Workers Union (UNT), 168, 179
agreement not to attend Labor Congress, 44
Nava, 98
Navarro, David, 269
complaint against, 272
The Nazis in Mexico (Cedillo), 268
Neoliberal economic model, 149
Neoliberalism, 310
Neoliberal technocrats, invasion of, 153
Neumann, Ken, 108, 118, 142, 290
as national director for Canada United Steelworkers Union (USW), 55
New Democratic Party (NDP), 158, 169
Newman, Paul, 103
NINI, 154
Ninth District Court on Federal Criminal Procedures, denial of money-laundering charges, 136–137
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 238
Notimex (news agency), 187
Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, xvi, 62, 98
Nuevo León (town), 126
disappointment in leaders, 8
Gómez, Napoleón’s interest in becoming governor of, 9–10
Gómez, Napoleón’s tours of, 8
invalidation of arrest warrants issued in, 284
political situation in, 7
state appeals to, 173
O
Obama, Barack
election of, 238
visiting site of mine accidents, 280
O’Farrill, Antonio, 106
efforts to discredit, 115
O’Farrill, Patricio, efforts to discredit, 115
Operation San Lorenzo, xv–xvi
Ordinary General Miners’ Convention (May, 2008), 180
Organized crime, Calderón, Felipe’s war against, 154
Ortega, Armando, 263
Ortiz Elizalde, Benito
as enemy of miners, 177
expulsion from union, 22
Orwell, George, quote from, 75
Ospina P., Olga, 123
Oxford University, 10
Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Arts, 5
studies at, 5
Collapse of Dignity Page 39
