Chiquita executives must face claims over torture

Executives at Chiquita Brands International Inc., the banana label owner that pleaded guilty in 2007 to making payments to Colombian paramilitary groups, were ordered to face U.S. lawsuits claiming they played a role in the torture or killings of thousands of Colombians. Relatives of victims, who say one of the groups murdered supporters of anti-government guerrillas, can pursue their claims under the Torture Victim Protection Act, a federal judge in West Palm Beach, Florida, ruled. The plaintiffs claim Chiquita paid $1.7 million to the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, to quell labor unrest and prevent leftist sympathizers from infiltrating banana-plantation unions.