Banana Republic Redux: United Fruit Company/Chiquita

For those not so much outraged by the prosecution of Chiquita for funding death squads in Colombia, but perhaps by the debate over whether Chiquita should be prosecuted at all, a piece by Chris Floyd is worth a read:

Of course, it is very good indeed that, against all
odds, there remain some honest prosecutors in the
federal justice system willing to do what should
have been done a century ago: hold corporate
chieftains responsible for the crimes they beget in
their slavering pursuit of profit. But it also clear that
the Chiquita executives were given the same kind
of nod-and-wink for murky dealings that their
illustrious predecessors have always received from
Washington. That they may now be hoist on their
own petard is their own tough luck; but they are
certainly not the only ones who should be in the
dock.

A great reminder that the old United Fruit Company has a rich history of destabilizing countries through right-wing terror. Ask any Guatemalan. Read the rest at the link.