NBC 24 (Toledo, Ohio)

April 19, 2007

FLOC Expects Mexican Police Report on Santiago Rafael Cruz's Murder

Toledo, OH --- The Farm Labor Organizing Committee says they may soon have answers about the murder of one of their very own. 

For more than a week now the death of, Santiago Rafael Cruz, has been under investigation.

Thirty year-old Cruz was found beaten to death in Monterrey, Mexico last Monday.  He was a member of FLOC, the Union that fights for the rights of Mexican migrant guest workers. Investigators expect to issue a police report soon, which could be the first glimpse of hope for closure to Cruz's murder.    

After more than a week, there are still no suspects and still no leads.

"It leads me to wonder the depth and the quality of the investigation," said FLOC President, Baldemar Velasquez.

Velasquez first became suspicious of the investigation when there were contradictory reports on how Cruz's body was found.  He says he know this first hand because he sat in on the interview with the professor that found Cruz's body.

"And his description of what he saw differed from what police told the American Consul in Monterrey," said Velasquez.

He says the corruption in Mexico's migrant guest worker recruiting is vast and that even the Mexican Police are in on it.  But, he still hopes that the approaching phone call from his lawyer will hold answers.

"That they have enough evidence to point the finger at somebody and catch them and find out, if someone was paid to do that, to find out who the higher-ups are and who ordered it," said Velasquez.

FLOC will hold a news conference Thursday to talk about the pending police report and to encourage people in America to take a line of action against Mexico's corruption when it comes to migrant guest worker recruitment.

"We are going to pressure until we get answers and we will go after completing our work down there.  It would be a dishonor to Santiago to stop and not do anything because we are afraid," said Velasquez.

Velasquez believes Cruz's murder was an attack against FLOC, and the work that they are doing to stop the corruption.  He says FLOC will not back down and will be sending a replacement to Monterrey for Cruz.  They will also be adding their own security system to that bureau.