John,

2451 rural Colombian families are on the verge of a world-changing legal win – but they need our help to do it.

The families are suing banana giant Chiquita, which has admitted it paid millions to a paramilitary terrorist group that killed thousands of innocent civilians around Chiquita plantations in the 90s and 00s. 

But instead of assisting the families devastated by their actions (which, again, IT ADMITS), Chiquita has spent 14 years delaying the families’ court case with legal gymnastics. Now, finally, there’s been a breakthrough, and a court will hear the case and decide on compensation. 

John, a court case can’t bring back family members who were murdered in cold blood, but it *can* create a new normal where companies like Chiquita can’t just do whatever they want with no consequences, and even legally bully the victims. It’s a real, concrete chance to hold corporations to account for the injustices they’ve perpetrated in the Global South. 

Can you chip in to fund these families’ legal case and finally give them justice – and peace of mind?

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To try to secure its banana-growing regions from nearby violence, Chiquita gave $1.7 million to the paramilitary Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) – a designated terrorist organization – between 1997-2004. During those years, AUC murdered thousands of innocent civilians. 

Legal action forced Chiquita to admit to making these murderous payments, leading to a criminal conviction in a U.S. court and a $25 million fine – paid to the government and the families of 6 American victims. But the families of the Colombian victims murdered by Chiquita’s death squads got nothing. 

An amazing legal organization named IRAdvocates set out to change that. They first filed their case on behalf of 2,451 families of those murdered by Chiquita’s death squads in 2007. But rather than take responsibility, for 14 years Chiquita has tried to delay the case. 

Just months ago, the families of 8 victims killed at the hands of the AUC FINALLY won the right to have their case heard in court. It’s a huge step forward, but now their lawyers are working around the clock on this massive and complex case – and urgently need funding to support key witnesses to stand up against this corporate giant.

If they win, not only will it clear the way for thousands more families and victims to hold Chiquita to account – it will create a precedent that these companies actually face all the consequences of their horrific behaviour, and can’t just bully people to get out of it. 

We can help give the families and their lawyers what they need to win the case – are you in?

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