Treatment of taxi drivers in Montevideo [URY37005.E]

Various articles refer to taxi and public transportation strikes to protest the increasingly frequent victimization of bus and taxi drivers in violent robberies (El Espectador 22 Feb. 2001; ibid. 19 Feb. 2001; El Observador 23 Feb. 2001; ibid. 20 Nov. 2000; El País 24 Sept. 2000; Canal 10 16 Jan. 1998).

During a taxi strike in 1998, a taxi driver who was working during the strike reported being the victim of a kidnapping by two men who boarded his vehicle posing as passengers (Canal 10 16 Jan. 1998). He was reportedly held at gunpoint, bound and stripped naked, taken in another vehicle to a location where he was abandoned, and his vehicle was set on fire (ibid.). Amid reports of attacks against taxi drivers who did not observe the strike, the Montevideo Chief of Police summoned Norberto Vergara, President of the taxi drivers' union; Mr. Vergara reportedly claimed that he did not agree with the excesses and aggressiveness (no compartía los desbordes ni las actitudes agresivas) reported, and suggested that his union might be infiltrated by persons provoking acts of aggression (infiltrados que provocan esas agresiones) (ibid.).

In 1997 the former Secretary General of the taxi union, also a substitute city councillor for the Communist Party, was expelled from the union due to his "irregular activities" (El Espectador 23 Dec. 1997; Canal 10 4 Nov. 1997).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References


Canal 10 [Montevideo]. 16 January 1998. "Continúa el paro de taximetristas." http://www.canal10.com. uy/canal10/noticias/ene98/16/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2001]

_____. 4 November 1997. "Partido Nacional interviene en expulsión de gremialista." http:// www.canal10.com.uy/canal10/noticias/nov97/04/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2001]

El Espectador [Montevideo]. 22 February 2001. ""Paros en el transporte." http://www.espectador.com/ text/not02221.htm [Accessed 25 Feb. 2001]

_____. 19 February 2001. "La violencia en los ómnibus sigue en el tapete." http://www.espectador.com/text/ind02192.htm [Accessed 25 Apr. 2001]

El Observador [Montevideo]. 23 February 2001. "Rapiña a taxista paralizó el transporte." http://www.observa.com.uy/elobservador/ED010223/URU/N00800.html [Accessed 26 Apr. 2001]

_____. 20 November 2000. "Taxista baleado está fuera de peligro." http://www.observa.com.uy/elobservador/ED001120/URU/N00500.html [Accessed 26 Apr. 2001]

El País [Montevideo]. 24 September 2000. "El horario del miedo." http://www.diarioelpais.com/suplementos/lo_mejor_de_la_semana000924/19.shtml [Accessed 26 Apr. 2001]