The Price Of Bananas

Steve Kroft On How Colombian Paramilitaries Landed A U.S. Corporation In Hot Water

(CBS)  But all of that changed in 2001, when the U.S. government designated the paramilitaries a terrorist organization, making any kind of financial assistance to the group, coerced or otherwise, a felony. Yet Chiquita continued to make the payments for another two years, claiming it missed the government's announcement.

"It was in the newspapers. It was in the Cincinnati Enquirer, which is where your company headquarters is. It was in the New York Times," Kroft points out. "I mean, this is a big part of your business, doing business in Colombia. I mean, how did you miss it?"

"Well, again, I don't know what happened during that time frame, frankly. What I know is, all the data shows that the company, the moment it learned that these payments were illegal in the United States, that's when they decided to self-disclose to the Department of Justice," Aguirre says.

By "self-disclose," he means Chiquita, on the advice of its attorneys, turned itself in to the Justice Department. One of the first things Aguirre did when he became CEO was to stop the payments and sell the company's Colombian subsidiary. The company pled guilty to a felony and agreed to pay a $25 million fine, but that wasn't the end of its legal problems.

"This company has blood on its hands," says attorney Terry Collingsworth, who has filed one of five lawsuits that have been brought against Chiquita, seeking money for the families of Colombians killed by the paramilitaries.

Collingsworth says the money Chiquita paid for seven years may have kept its employees safe, but it also helped buy weapons and ammunition that were killing other people.

"Are you saying that Chiquita was complicit in these massacres that took place down there?" Kroft asks.

"Absolutely. If you provide knowing substantial assistance to someone who then goes out and kills someone, or terrorizes, or tortures someone, you're also guilty," Collingsworth says.

Asked if he believes that Chiquita knew this money was being used to go into the villages and massacre people, Collingsworth says, "If they didn't, they would be the only ones in the whole country of Colombia who didn't think that."

"You're not saying that Chiquita wanted these people to be killed?" Kroft asks.

"No, they were indifferent to it," Collingsworth says. "…they were willing to accept that those people would be dead, in order to keep their banana operation running profitably, and making all the money that they did in Colombia."

Collingsworth says he thinks the company should have just picked up and left.

"It's easy for a lawyer to give that type of advice, after the fact," Aguirre argues. "When you have more than 3,500 workers, their lives depend on you. When you've been making payments to save their lives, you just can't pick up and go."

"What did the company think this money was gonna be used for?" Kroft asks.

"Well, clearly to save lives," Aguirre says.

"The lives of your employees?" Kroft asks.

"Absolutely," Aguirre says.

"It was also being used to kill other people," Kroft says.

"Well, these groups were funded with hundreds of millions of dollars. They had the guns," Aguirre says. "They had the bullets. So I don't know who in their right mind would say, 'Well, if Chiquita would have stopped, these killers would have stopped.' I just don't see that happening."

"Do you feel that the company has any responsibility to compensate the victims of the paramilitaries in Colombia?" Kroft asks.

"The responsibility of any murders are the responsibility of the people that made the killings, of the people who pulled the trigger," Aguirre says.

[paulsmmrs]

The 60 Minutes story failed to report Chiquita Brands long history of paying money for influence without regard for the people they hurt. From their days as bribing ruthless tyrant United Fruit Company politics to hefty money for influence here in the US. Huge contributions to the Clinton Administration and other politions led to sanctions against European countries for not buying enough of Chiquitas bananas. Countless small US comapnies became unwitting victoms to 100% tariffs imposed on the products they imported from Europe. Chiquita is an American company that doesn't sell American products. But it's no suprise Chiquita executives want to take their chances with US authorities where they can once again use political connections rather than be extradited to Columbia and face the charges against them.

[fush2]

who cares lets all grow bananas in our backyard over the summer...

[cbsblogger]

Corporations are now the backbone of the GOP and the nemesis of the USA.

[acolton1]

Posted by njbernard at 12:29 AM

Please Don''t Cut and Paste the same thing over and over again. People read it once and we get your point.

Thank YOU !

[acolton1]

Costco in Kansas City has not had Bananas for the past 3+ weeks.

[bseer]

While Chiquita is part of the problem without a doubt this story all but ignored the roll of cocaine money in this violence. All user of cocaine are therefore party to these killing as the corrupting influence of drug money on Columbia makes the sins of Chiquita very small by comparison.

The criminal activity fuel by cocaine users can be seen from the streets of Baltimore to the hills of Columbia. CBS, the people with blood on their hands are the Chiquita executives AND anyone (some in your employ) who has spent the money to fund this violence.

[jerr11]

The price of Bananas!

How about the price of Halliburton''s profits?

So far:

4071 Dead Americans.

$3 trillion squandered.

$4 a gallon gas.

The Price of Bananas?

Guess we''ll have to ask that prize chimp in the white house.

[njbernard]

I would compare Colombia ''s Bananas with
CONGO and Coltan (columbite-tantalite). Regional analysts say the international demand for coltan is one of the driving forces behind the war in the DRC, and the presence of rival militias in the country.
Companies use tantalum to make a variety of electronic devices, including laptops, DVD players and cell phones.
http://geology.about.com/od/conflictminerals/a/coltan.htm

[njbernard]

I would compare Colombia ''s Bananas with
CONGO and Coltan (columbite-tantalite). Regional analysts say the international demand for coltan is one of the driving forces behind the war in the DRC, and the presence of rival militias in the country.
Companies use tantalum to make a variety of electronic devices, including laptops, DVD players and cell phones.
http://geology.about.com/od/conflictminerals/a/coltan.htm

[njbernard]

I would compare Colombia ''s Bananas with
CONGO and Coltan (columbite-tantalite). Regional analysts say the international demand for coltan is one of the driving forces behind the war in the DRC, and the presence of rival militias in the country.
Companies use tantalum to make a variety of electronic devices, including laptops, DVD players and cell phones.
http://geology.about.com/od/conflictminerals/a/coltan.htm

[andrew_693]

I guess these paramilitary forces that chopped children''s heads for fun are the new "freedom fighters" (the substitutes of alquaeda) sponsored by the republican christian administration. I can see us invading them to steal their oil and bananas in order to make haliburton or another republican company rich with blood money. Why do you think they send the missionaries around the world? that''s the scout party.

[uscorrupt]

www.chiquitadealings.com this is not new and chiquita is not the only one soon when bush lives office te usa will now about all the corruption usa corporatons have done i colombia and how the politicians profit from plan colombia this is part of bush-uribe deals usa people do not deserve to be treated like this thats why we need to expose all of this politicians and dea corruptions www.therealityofplancolombia.com

[as141]

you know what they can do with there bananas! Dole and delmonte are probably guilty to.

[liriko-2009]

Did Mr Aguirre miss to mention the hiring of paramilitaries to kill union leaders like coca-cola did? if the FARC are the only bad guys and they are loosing this war, who is taking control of the coke plantations? why are we witnessing more and more violations to the human rights under Mr. Uribe regime?

[concern21]

The guerillas are the bad guys. Colombia voted in a landslide for a president who would stand up against the socialist movement and traffickers. Americans need to do their part stop using cocaine.

[prairiefox1]

THE DAMAGE IS IRREVERSIBLE !

[prairiefox1]

AND IF YOU THINK BAROKE LABOMBA WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THINK AGAIN!

[prairiefox1]

THANKS TO PRESIDENT (ESSO BEE) AND OUR FAILED GOVERNMENT THIS NATION WILL BE UNABLE TO FEED ITSELF SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DON''T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO SO!
THIS COMING WINTER WE WILL FREEZE TO DEATH BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD THE GAS TO DO SO! IF WE BURN WOOD TO SURVIVE THIS CONTINENT WILL BE STRIPPED OF ALL TREES AND THE DELIVERY OF FOOD WILL CEASE!
AND ALL OF ITS CITIZENS WILL CRY AS THEY DIE!

[redhoffer]

concern21 -

You have American Economic Interests who are financially supporting murdering guerillas in a foreign country under the watch of GW Bush....

and you somehow manage to blame H. Clinton and/or Obama?

Nice.

Keep drinking the koolaid....

[jboxton]

I''ll bet Barack Obama is going to make this a top priority as I hear bananas are his favorite food.