Friday, November 22, 2013

The more things never change, the more they stay the same

Fresh as yesterday's third page of the business section headlines:


Chiquita Brands International Inc.’s bid to stop the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from releasing documents on payments to Colombian terrorist groups was thrown out of court. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington rejected the company’s argument that the damage it would suffer from disclosure of the records, in a case in Florida connected to the Colombian payments, should bar their release to a public- interest group under the Freedom of Information Act.
Chiquita used to operate as United Fruit Company, one can wonder what could be so worrisome with a glorious history like this?

The Banana Massacre.

Being responsible for the term "Banana Republic".

Pretty much being responsible for the invasion and overthrow of governments who were not sufficiently servile enough to "big Banana".

After a century of this, well, bullshit, they are afraid of what documents may show? Isn't it enough that they can do all this and the story still ends up buried in the business section?

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

7 comments:

StonyPillow said...

Comments not allowed on the FDL post.

Only three people can use the papal "we" -- the Pope himself, a man with fleas, and a blogger with commenters.

Montag said...

Nothing that Sam "The Banana Man" Zemurray wouldn't have done himself.

The fact that the payments were going to right-wing terrorists who were happily assassinating union organizers is just incidental to the issue at hand, right?

kingweasil said...

Im wondering if there's any affiliation between the CIA and chiquita

Montag said...

"Im wondering if there's any affiliation between the CIA and chiquita"

There sure was in Guatemala in 1954.

pansypoo said...

crapitalism at its finest.

Anonymous said...

I guess Chiquita can't call in Eric Holder on this one. http://www.cipcol.org/?p=703

Anonymous said...

I believe Smedley Butler had some comments about United Fruit