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Banana growers in Chiriquí seek justice for stolen crop

Public Prosecutor Franklin Amaya said his office’s investigative work would be easier if the victims agreed to serve as witnesses.

Banana growers and community members ask authorities to help put a stop to crop poaching.

LA PRENSA

Stolen crops: Faustino and Nicolasa Rubio lost their small banana crop and livestock to thieves.1041715

When thieves robbed Faustino and Nicolasa Rubio of the little livestock they had, they got mad. When the elderly couple discovered they hadn’t been the only victims in their community, they took action.

The Rubios met recently with Chiriquí authorities in the hopes of putting a stop to the wave of thefts in the poor border communities of Progreso, Manaca, Manaca North and Monte Verde, near the banana plantations of Barú and the coastal town of Puerto Armuelles.

“They took chickens, pigs, the machete, a shovel, the fumigation pump and the few platano crops we had,” said Faustino.

“They even took the pails we used to make the chicha [juice] we were going to go out and sell,” said Nicolasa, holding back tears.

Farmers in the area have joined the couple in starting a counter-offensive. A neighborhood watch was organized, and some banana growers have asked the mayor for tougher punishments for the robbers, who are targeting the banana crop.

Verísimo Saldaña, a former leader of the Asociación de Productores de Plátanos, told authorities that the band of thieves has been illegally harvesting bananas on a daily basis and selling to grocers at discounted rates.

“In the past four months, they have stolen about 200 of the 542 plants that I have,” said Saldaña. “At a price of $4 each, that’s cost me about $800, not counting the growing time and care.”

Saldaña said that although local police are working with the growers, he’s come to a crossroads.

“I'm going to leave the farm if this continues,” he said. “The work is in vain if somebody is picking the bananas I grow.”

Community members gathered at the Public Prosecutor's office in Manaca North last Thursday. Saldaña said he felt the authorities seemed to be more concerned with defending the poachers’ human rights than those of the growers.

Giselle de Rojas, representative for the district of Rodolfo Aguilar Delgado, said that her office will demand punishment for the thieves, but that there was a lack of evidence in some of the cases.

“If no stolen goods are found to prove there has been a crime, we can’t deprive the accused of their liberty,” she said.

Public Prosecutor Franklin Amaya said his office’s investigative work would be easier if the victims agreed to serve as witnesses.

One of meeting’s attendees said that his neighbor was “so furious [with the situation] that it’s dangerous. Whenever he goes to plant bananas, the thieves seem to be watching. When he leaves to eat, [the thieves] make off with four more plants.”

While the community waits for justice to be done, Faustino and Nicolasa say they are prepared to forgive the robbers. “I am the kind of person who can forgive someone who steals,” said Faustino. “But I'm here to demand the authorities to do their part and punish [them].”