Alianza Braceroproa joins La Sexta Declaración de la Selva Lacandona.

Alianza Braceroproa joins La Sexta Declaración de la Selva Lacandona. by: maricela reynoso September 12, 2004 Chiapas, México-On September 9, 2005 Alianza Braceroproa held a press conference in San Cristóbal de Las Casas to make public their alignment with La Sexta Declaración de la Selva Lacandona. Alianza Braceroproa representatives from various states of México as well as a representative from the United States were on their way to La Sexta Reunión Preparatoria de la Otra Campaña Zapatista, in where they presented the history and current struggle of the ex-braceros as well as their commitment and alignment with the Otra Campaña to El Comité Clandestino Revolucionario Indígena and to the Comandancia General del Ejercito Zapatista de Liberación Nacional. In their intervention Alianza Braceropro shared their history and struggle with the Zapatistas as well as with the Mexican community present. They expressed that this part of history has been neglected by both Mexican and US governments. Alianza Braceroproa also invited the Zapatistas to the different branches in all 32 states of México as well as throughout the United States to meet with them when the Zapatistas begin their visits through México. The Bracero program was established in the1940s and it was an international labor agreement between the U.S. and Mexican government. Due to World War II U.S. labor supply was low therefore due to the agreement Mexicans would work the railroads and fields in the U.S. As part of the international agreement between Mexico and the U.S. through the Bracero Program, 10 percent of each worker's paycheck was deducted with the promise of returning the "savings" upon their return to Mexico-thing which never happened. A total of 2.5 million workers came to the United States between 1942 and 1964 thus making millions of dollars owed to braceros. These two nations became wealthy off the exploitation of Mexican labor. Alianza Braceroproa was formed in 1998 by Ventura Gutierrez. This organization is committed in uniting the ex-braceros and their families to recover the 10 percent of the wages, expose the narratives lived by Mexicans and most important to recover their dignity. Besides the economic exploitation experienced by the Braceros they also experienced inhumane conditions. Many have now voiced their stories of the maltreatment by the U.S. contractors. For example they were all forced to undress and then sprayed with DDT (insecticide) before entering the U.S., the stories are countless and comparable to the Holocaust. The struggle for justice and dignity remains. Today 80 to 100 thousand braceros are fighting for their right to a history and existence. There is a federal law suit against the US government for the money robbed. Alianza Braceropro is also demanding the Mexican government to pay a symbolic amount to the ex-braceros. “The fight against neolibralim is a struggle that belongs to all Mexican who fights for justice. Alianza Braceroproa wants to support our elders to vindicate their place as authority governance within the Mexican nation. We also join the Otra Campaña so the struggle of our elders becomes a shared struggle of all Mexicans.”-Rosa Marta Zarate (representative of Alianza Braceroproa in the U.S.) Timeline of the Bracero Struggle Legalized Slavery 1942: During World War II U.S. labor supply is low; therefore the United States government and the Mexico Government establish the Bracero Program. 1945: Japan's surrenders-ending the war. However the Bracero Program continues. 1964: Bracero Program officially ends. 1998: The group Alianza Braceroproa is formed to fight for the dignity and money robbed from them by the Mexican and U.S. government. 2004: President Bush announces plans for a guest worker program between Mexico and the United States (a new bracero program). 2005: Alianza Braceropro joins forces with Zapatistas and La Otra Campaña