Thread: Protest Gets Violent At Mexican Consulate

http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.20971.html

Protest Gets Violent At Mexican Consulate

Last Updated:
08-19-05 at 4:31PM

Dozens of police officers were called to the local Mexican Consulate in Middletown Friday, where demonstrators are demanding money owed to migrant field workers.

There were about 75-100 protestors at the consulate Friday, upset over the Mexican government's treatment of migrant workers in the Bracero Program.

Under the program, which ran from 1942 to 1962, a portion of the workers' pay was withheld by the Mexican government for a retirement fund. Recipients are upset they missed a deadline to apply for the funds.

Luis Cabrera says they deadline has come and gone, and that's the law.

"The Mexican Consulate has explained it cannot receive any of the documents because the list of beneficiaries is already closed," he said.

"Sometime between then and now all of those funds disappeared," said Tomas Lucero of the San Diego Alianza Bracero Program. "Then they expected for all of the Braceros to cross their arms and say everyone makes a mistake."

I am wondering if the City is going to try and make them pay a large amount. Like one certain city is trying to bill American citizens. That have the right to free speech.