Mexico arrests two top mining union officials

Mexican authorities arrested two senior officials of the national mining union on Thursday as a strike at one of the country's largest copper mines moves into its 16th month, the union said in a press release.  

A spokesman for the federal prosecutors' office confirmed the arrest of the men but declined to provide details on the charges they face. Local newspaper El Universal reported Carlos Pavon and Juan Linares were accused of defrauding a company of 50 million pesos ($3.67 million).  

"These are punitive actions against union leaders in a clear abuse of official power aimed at destroying the union," the union statement said. The union says it is being unfairly targeted by authorities for its independent stance.

The head of the union, Napoleon Gomez, is living in Canada to avoid arrest on corruption charges, which he claims are  fabricated.

In his absence Pavon is the union's main spokesman and at the forefront of the strike at the giant Cananea pit two other mines belonging to Grupo Mexico.  

The strike, which began over safety conditions, has been complicated by bad blood between union leaders and the company.  

The International Metalworkers' Federation, which groups more than 200 unions including the United States' main labor federation, accused the Mexican government of siding with the mine owners in labor disputes and criminalizing trade union activity in a report released this year.  

(Reuters, Dec 4)