The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has posted on social media: “Using military force against workers on a hunger strike is an outright violation of fundamental labour rights. CUPE has sent an urgent letter to the Canadian ambassador to Colombia, supporting SINALTRAINAL and Nomadesc’s demands for the immediate removal of armed troops from the Nestlé plant in Bugalagrande and full protection for SINALTRAINAL members who have spent over 900 days fighting for their rights and their jobs.”
This Urgent Action from the National Union of Agrifood System Workers (SINALTRAINAL) and the Association for Research and Social Action (Nomadesc) highlights that the hunger strike against Nestlé-Bugalagrande in Colombia is being “harassed by National Army military personnel”.
The Urgent Action adds: “The use of military troops is excluded from the control mechanisms for public demonstrations, both under domestic legislation and international human rights standards, making the deployment of military troops illegal and endangering the lives of civilians uninvolved in any form of armed confrontation.”
The Urgent Action demands that President Abelardo de la Espriella order “the immediate withdrawal of military troops”.
PBI-Canada request
In June 2023, the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) announced a contract to supply the Colombian Army with 55 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs). The CCC also notes: “The G2G contract was awarded to CCC in December 2022 and includes strict end-use provisions that govern how the Colombian National Army have agreed to operate the Canadian-made light armoured vehicles.”
In light of that G2G contract, and the previous sale of Canadian-made LAVs to the Colombian military, PBI-Canada calls on the Embassy of Canada in Colombia to ensure that Canadian-manufactured military equipment is not being used to impede the rights of SINALTRAINAL workers on strike against Nestlé.
Additional reading
–Nomadesc stands with SINALTRAINAL union members at Nestlé factory in Bugalagrande, Colombia (PBI-Canada, October 28, 2026)
–Urgent Action from SINALTRAINAL and Nomadesc notes hunger strike against Nestlé-Bugalagrande is being harassed by the National Army (PBI-Canada, October 28, 2026)
