First published 2013
When a coal mine explosion traps sixty-five workers in northern Mexico on February 19, 2006, union leader Napoleón Gómez arrives at the scene expecting a rescue operation. Instead, he discovers labor inspectors and mining company officials covering up safety violations while families wait desperately outside the mine entrance. Within days, Mexico's labor secretary abandons the rescue entirely, leaving the trapped miners to die. Gómez declares the disaster an "industrial homicide" and launches a seven-year campaign against the corporations and politicians he holds responsible. His fight forces him into Canadian exile as he faces death threats, legal persecution, and betrayal from within his own ranks. While organizing resistance from abroad, Gómez uncovers a conspiracy against his union that predates the explosion. His relentless pursuit of justice reveals the depth of corruption protecting corporate interests at the expense of worker safety. The story captures both Gómez's fury at systemic injustice and his unwavering commitment to defending the rights of Los Mineros and working people everywhere.
Genres: political-science, labor, non-fiction, biography-memoir, activism, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: corruption, justice, whistleblower
Setting: Mexico, Northern Mexico
Period: 2006
368 pages · Hardcover · BenBella Books
Content warnings: death, violence