PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc as Presidential Advisor for Human Rights visits with threatened union workers
PBI-Colombia has posted on Instagram:
“In the context of the visit of the Presidential Advisor for Human Rights, and our accompaniment to Nomadesc, who watch over the fulfillment of the rights of the unions and specifically of the USE, Sintraunicol and Sinaltrainal, we are concerned about the security situation faced by the unions for their work.”
This post refers to the Association for Research and Social Action (Nomadesc), the Presidential Advisor for Human Rights Lourdes Castro, the EMCALI Union of Labor Unions (USE), the National Union of University Workers and Employees of Colombia (SINTRAUNICOL), and the National Union of Food Workers (Sinaltrainal).
Threats against Colombian unions
A statement shared in February by the National Union of Food Workers (Sinaltrainal), currently on strike against the Swiss transnational Nestle, demands: “End of harassment and threats: they denounce that the members of the union have received death threats, and demand guarantees for their safety.”
On March 13, the Verifico platform noted: “By means of a pamphlet, signed by the Jaime Martínez Mobile Column of one of the FARC-EP dissidents, the board of directors of the Union of University Workers and Employees of Colombia (Sintraunicol), of the Cali sub-directive, is declared a military target.”
On March 27, Nomadesc posted: “The USE union expresses its commitment to the defense of labor rights, and requests protection for its organizational exercise, its right to representation and association, which today are also at risk.”
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) documented: “Between 2023 and 2024, 11 trade unionists were assassinated, resulting in Colombia retaining its reputation as the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists.”
Peace Brigades International has accompanied NOMADESC since 2011 and its president Berenice Celeita since 1999.
We continue to follow this situation.
Further reading:
– PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc at meetings with Presidential advisor and SINTRAUNICOL, threatened trade unionists (PBI-Canada, March 28, 2025).
– PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc at meetings with state authorities in Bogota given threats faced by trade union leaders (PBI-Canada, March 14, 2025).
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