Proposal dissatisfies braceros (Some say Mexico is offering too little compensation)

Fresno Bee ^ | April 30, 2005 | Vanessa Colón

[Amerigomag]

Mexico's Senate approved a $27 million fund Thursday for ex-braceros, laborers who worked in fields or on railroads in the United States from 1942 to 1964 under a guest-worker plan. The fund will replace retirement deductions that disappeared as they were transferred between the nations.

The braceros had about 10% of their wages withheld for savings and pension funds. The money was supposed to be repaid when they returned to Mexico. But the Mexican government bank, where the funds were allegedly deposited, had a poor record-keeping system and went through mergers, a name change and closure.

Initially, the Mexican government considered only repaying money withheld from 1942 to 1949. But Flores and other activists successfully argued that the money was withheld through 1964. The Mexican Senate eventually agreed.

Mexico's Congress emphasized that the fund isn't meant to repay dollar-for-dollar what was withheld, but rather will serve as a social welfare program. If the missing money was repaid in today's dollars, it would range from $500 million to $1 billion.

[Amerigomag]

The bad news is that it's roughly only 5% of the original withholdings. The good news is: 1)You don't have to return to Mexico to collect it, 2)You don't have to be alive to collect it and 3)There is no US federal of California state income taxes to pay on it.

[sgtbono2002]

If I get this right the Mexican government has voted to give back 5% of the money they stole.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

The money was supposed to be repaid when they returned to Mexico. But the Mexican government bank, where the funds were allegedly deposited, had a poor record-keeping system and went through mergers, a name change and closure stole the money. Business as usual in Mexicorruption.

So when President Bush fixes Social Security with such things as hundreds of millions of dollars annually for ILLEGAL aliens' ILLEGAL work I suppose we should be prepared to accept more poor record keeping and be prepared to truck more money down there to make up for the stolen money. Just great.

Yes, let's do away with the border and become one with a "country" run by thieving, corrupt criminal low-lifes.