Organizations close to the late César Chávez on Tuesday revealed troubling allegations about the iconic Chicano leader, helping explain why separate San Antonio and Corpus Christi marches in his honor were suddenly called off earlier this month.
Both the César Chávez Foundation and United Farm Workers issued statements addressing “disturbing allegations” against the union organizer involving “inappropriate sexual behavior” with women and underage girls.
“The César Chávez Foundation has become aware of disturbing allegations that César Chávez engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors during his time as President of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW),” the César Chávez Foundation said in the statement. “We are deeply shocked and saddened by what we are hearing.”
On March 6, the César Chávez Legacy and Educational Foundation (CECLEF) notified the City of San Antonio that it canceled the annual César Chávez March for Justice. At the time, the organization informed city officials that the cancellation was due to “a sensitive matter” but provided no further detail.
The United Farm Workers was co-founded by Chávez, Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla in 1962, and famously led the Delano Grape Strike, which lasted five years and secured a victory for farmworkers by successfully convincing mainstream America to boycott non-union grapes until growers met demands for fair labor practices.
On Tuesday, the UFW issued the following statement:
“The UFW has learned of deeply troubling allegations that one of the union’s co-founders, César Chávez, behaved in ways that are incompatible with our organization’s values. Some of the reports are family issues, and not our story to tell or our place to comment on. Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors. Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing. We have not received any direct reports, and we do not have any firsthand knowledge of these allegations. However, the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose.”
As such, the United Farm Workers “will not be taking part in any César Chávez Day activities,” the organization’s statement continued.
Previous installments of the event in San Antonio have drawn thousands of demonstrators.
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