Peruvian Agricultural Workers Suffer 'Modern Slavery'

Susana Quintanilla, the president of the Committee of Workers from Ica, denounced the “modern slavery” to which Peruvians working in agro-export and agro-industry are subjected.

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During a hearing held to evaluate the new agrarian bill in the Congressional Economic Commission, she recalled that most rural people work in precarious conditions, without proper safety materials, and exposed to toxic substances.

The workers' leader also recalled that the old agrarian law allowed agro-export companies to get large profits at the cost of the "sweat, tears, and physical effort" of the working class.

“We do not refuse economic development, but we want social inclusion, education, health, and quality of life”, Quintanilla emphasized and denounced that the Police harshly repressed those who took part in the blockade of the Pan-American highway on Tuesday.

“Citizens are being mistreated right now… I publicly denounce President Francisco Sagasti for crushing and humiliating us. They can't treat us this way… Don't mistreat my brothers as if they were worthless dogs."

In the Ica and La Libertad regions, thousands of workers have been protesting the absence of special laws that regulate labor relations in agricultural companies.

On Dec. 4, Congress repealed the 2000 agricultural law due to regulations that allowed companies to evade labor rights and pay just 4 percent of wages to the public social security system. This week, however, the Peruvian lawmakers did not pass a new agricultural law, which immediately unleashed social discontent.