Occupy Wall Street activists and members of a group calling itself “Dos Paises, Una Voz,” or “Two Countries, One Voice,” held a direct action yesterday to support the Mexican movement Yo Soy 132 and condemn the Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim. Juan José Gutiérrez was among the protesters calling for U.S. activists to join the movement against Slim.
Juan José Gutiérrez: “All we want is to ask the American people to join in our effort to stop Carlos Slim’s predatory and monopolistic practices, which is causing great suffering and great underdevelopment to the nation of Mexico and the rest of Latin America.”
The protest kicked off a week of actions against Slim, the world’s richest man, who is under criticism for his involvement in the contested presidential election of PRI candidate Enrique Peña Nieto. Occupy Wall Street protesters are targeting businesses in New York City that Slim owns portions of, including Saks Fifth Avenue and the New York Times. Activist Daphne Carr said the action is part of Occupy Wall Street’s solidarity with movements around the world.
Daphne Carr: “Occupy Wall Street has been working with a lot of different community groups all around the world, and I think that this action today is just part of larger solidarity building between different action groups, unions, immigrants groups who are finding specific ways to target wealthy individuals, institutions and other practices that need serious modification or real radical change.”