You would think that a referendum to end war would be uncontroversial. Surely we all want peace right? Well, Heineken’s sponsorship of the campaign against peace deal in Colombia says otherwise.
Over the past weekend, millions of Colombians voted in a referendum on whether or not to end the conflict between FARC rebels and the government. Ultimately, the majority of voters voted against the peace deal but the campaign was riddled with lies and deceit from all sides, including corporate sponsorship of the No campaign.
Heineken’s dangerous alliances help continue the bloodshed in the oldest conflict in the Americas. So now, we have to make sure its customers speak out and tell Heineken it has no business in politics.
Tell Heineken to cut ties with the business group that poured millions into the campaign against peace in Colombia
Incumbent Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos put an end to a bloody conflict when he and the FARC sat down four years ago to stop the war. The resulting deal is an astounding paper on transformative justice and reparations for the victims of war but it might not ever come to be.
The president decided to put the decision to implement the accords to popular vote but the campaign against the deal was hijacked by corporate-backed politicians. The No campaign, supported by Heineken's mighty business partners, was successful in getting a tiny majority at the polling stations and now peace might be gone forever.
Heineken has no place letting its business be used against something so delicate and important like a country’s peace. It is up to us, as consumers, to hold Heineken accountable and ask that it publicly apologizes for sponsoring the continuation of war in Colombia.
Heineken: cut ties with the Ardila Lule group that helped stop Colombia's peace.
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El Espectador . 6 October 2016.