Trade unionists death toll spikes 175% in Venezuela
http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/130221/trade-unionists-death-toll-spikes-175-in-venezuela
NGO Venezuelan Observatory of Social Unrest says murders in Venezuela go unpunished
Trade union violence is on the rise in Venezuela for lack of punishment and social unrest (Photo: Nicola Rocco)EL UNIVERSAL
Thursday February 21, 2013 01:35 PM
Year 2012 was certainly not a good year for a trade unionist or a member of a workers organization. At least, this is the conclusion after reading the latest report compiled by non-governmental organization Venezuelan Observatory of Social Unrest, which reveals that 77 labor rights advocates were murdered in Venezuela.
The document entitled, "Trade Union Violence and Impunity 2012," states that violence soared 175% versus 2011, when the Human Rights Vicarage of Caracas reported 28 killings.
The observatory has attributed the frightening rise of deadly violence to three main factors: current social unrest, at least 15 demonstrations, 14% of which were staged by laborers; impunity, 96% of the crimes are not punished; and trade union parallelism, different trade unions engaged in a single sector fight to one another.