In a statement, Asocaña, demanded from the competent authorities an urgent and strategic intervention to guarantee the safety of field workers in the north of Cauca who have been affected by the presence and actions of gangs, criminal gangs and groups outside of the law.
The call was made following the death of a security guard in Padilla, who was murdered by an unknown gang.
Claudia Calero, president of the union, stated that “we cannot continue to tolerate the lack of guarantees for farm workers in Colombia, especially in northern Cauca. This crime is added to many other crimes of which farm workers in this region are victims, which include attacks with firearms, robberies, attempted homicides, extortion, among others.”
Asocaña and the sugar companies in the region rejected this act of violence against their collaborators.
The sector stated in the statement that “we condemn the murder of Guillermo José Villegas, a worker in the security area of a sugar mill, who was shot on the morning of November 9 in the Obando district, a rural area of the municipality of Padilla, north of Cauca.”
In addition, they called on the competent authorities to provide their maximum support and carry out forceful actions, always protecting the life and safety of all the inhabitants of the region.
The sugarcane union also made an urgent call to the national government to make a strategic intervention in the area to guarantee the safety of the mill workers.
In this sense, they indicated in the document that “field workers in northern Cauca are affected daily by the presence and actions of gangs, criminal gangs and groups outside the law, as well as the speed in investigations and processes.” judicial proceedings to discourage impunity in the region.”
The crime
According to the authorities, the guard was carrying out the surveillance tour in the cane fields belonging to the Ingenio del Cauca, Incauca, in the town of Obando, rural area of Padilla, together with his team, when they were reached by several armed individuals, who activated their weapons. of fire against the patrol.
In the event, one of the workers died and another was injured.
Incauca reported that the deceased had worked as a security guard for nine years.
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