Argentine truckers strike to protest Swiss justice investigation of their leader

18th Friday, March 2011 - 03:55 UTC Full article

Hugo Moyano’s thugs also threatened the media and journalists

Argentina’s powerful truck drivers’ union called for a strike to be held on Monday to show their support to the head of the CGT Labour confederation, Hugo Moyano and his family that are being investigated in Switzerland for alleged money laundering.

Union representative and spokesperson Eduardo Altamirano confirmed the measure during a press conference and reported that it will begin at 6am and they will later hold a demonstration at Plaza de Mayo square at 10am.

He also threatened to block those media that publish news against the union or its leader. The union member detailed that the strike will reach fuel, long distance, armoured trucks and other sectors which include truck transportation.

“This measure is applied to repudiate the attacks and lies that newspapers publish, directly or indirectly, about Hugo Moyano and the workers he represents,” Altamirano continued.

At the headquarters of the union, the representative assured “we are tired of the lies, of this media war against Hugo Moyano; fake accusations of car stealing and drug-trafficking.”

“They don’t know what else to say, with what accuse him of. We, the workers, are tired, and we say it’s enough” Altamirano said referring to the investigation of Switzerland over Moyano.

Swiss Justice Ministry requested information on Hugo Moyano to Argentine Judge Norberto Oyarbide. Moyano is being investigated in Switzerland for alleged money laundering. In Argentina, the Labour Confederation leader is involved in the probe into the ‘tampered medicine’ case involving millions of dollars in fake pharmaceutical delivered to Argentina’s Social Security system.

The Swiss Justice also wants information on Pablo Moyano, Hugo’s son and leader of the truck drivers’ union.

Hugo Moyano is a powerful union leader. Aside from leading the CGT labour Confederation, he heads the Camioneros Truck Driver’s union and is the governor Peronist Party in Buenos Aires Province. He has close ties to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s administration.

Meanwhile members of Argentina’s opposition harshly criticized Moyano for the truck drivers’ union strike and demanded that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner must intervene in the issue to stop the measure.

The Radical Party (UCR) blasted Moyano for applying the measure and accused him of “using the strike right for personal issues.”

Vice-President Julio Cobos assured that the best way of proving its innocence “is by presenting the information for the investigation. He doesn’t prove his innocence by going on a strike that will be in detriment of citizens, our country’s Justice and Argentina in an international context.”

Meanwhile, presidential pre-candidate Ernesto Sanz urged the government to “intervene in the conflict. They’ve created a monster that now confronts them and pretends to take the Argentines as a hostage.”

