Brazil: Trade Unionist Killed by Security Guard

Brazil: Trade Unionist Killed by Security Guard

Brussels, 5 October 2010 (ITUC OnLine): The ITUC, together with its affiliated organisations in Brazil, CUT, CNPL, Força Sindical and UGT, has firmly condemned the killing of Augusto Lima da Cruz, a retired Philips employee and a leader of the metalworkers' union Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos.

According to the information received by the ITUC, Augusto Lima was killed on 1 October by two shots fired by Hernani Puga Neto, a security guard from the security firm Visam who was working at the Sony company in Distrito Industrial. Witnesses report that Hernani fled on a motorbike under the protection of other security guards.

Activities at the company were brought to a standstill following the killing. The DEHS, the special homicide and kidnapping unit, sent in its teams to conduct preliminary investigations. The ITUC, in a letter http://www.ituc-csi.org/brazil-sindicalista-asesinado-por.html?lang=fr to the Brazilian authorities, urged President Lula to take every action necessary to ensure that the murder of Augusto Lima da Cruz is fully investigated, and that those responsible at every level be identified and brought to justice."

"In a democracy like Brazil, respect for fundamental workers' rights is indispensable," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "An end must be brought to the murders of trade unionists in Latin America."

The ITUC represents 176 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 301 national affiliates. http://www.ituc-csi.org and http://www.youtube.com/ITUCCSI

ENDS

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