Sonora Grill carries out widespread practices of segregation and racist discrimination in several of its establishments, violating the dignity of people, concluded the Council to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination of Mexico City (COPRED), after complaints on social networks about such acts were vitalized.
He also warned that the company delivered apocryphal documents to dismiss the complaints, for which the public body concluded that the company “did not have the will to acknowledge its responsibility” nor had “an interest in reconciling, designing and implementing measures” on the problem, declared the president of COPRED, Geraldina González de la Vega, during a press conference.
Given this, the head of government of the Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum. announced that he will present a criminal complaint against the company for discrimination and fraud either falsification.
“Not only does he not recognize it, but he pretends to take exams and, even worse, he falsifies exams. That is criminal, both things, both discrimination and fraud, ”he declared.
Geraldina González explained that the Sonora Grill sells “a service for people with a certain appearance and social status, with a great degrading charge.”
This after on August 1, 2022, Internet users on Twitter denounced alleged discriminatory acts in the restaurant Sonora Prime, found in Masaryk, in Polanco, as he claimed that people were seated in different areas depending on their skin color and physical appearance.
After it went viral, various users pointed out that several of the chain’s establishments carried out similar practices.
Given this, COPRED began an investigation into the facts, in which it received testimonies from customers and employees who reported such acts.
He clarified that, despite the fact that the facts alluded to on social networks were not directly corroborated, the first tweet of complaint, 11 statements from diners, employees and former employees, a visit by Council staff, the massive conversation on social networks, were collected as evidence. , as well as “statistical evidence” and “sociological”.
Regarding this, he explained that the Council works based on a presumption and whoever has to present evidence to refute it would be the accused party. However, Sonora Grill did not provide such evidence, he said.
Instead, the Sonora Grill gave evidence that 52 people from the business group had taken 2 online training courses from Copred and Conapred. In addition, it provided its internal protocol for receiving internal complaints, photographs of talks at its workplaces on labor rights, manuals, and a code of ethics.
“None of these documents were directed to rebut the presumption that in the Sonora Grill Group establishments there are widespread practices of racism and discrimination towards its clientele,” the official reiterated.
The president added that, of the aforementioned courses, 27 of the certificates delivered did not accredit the course. Of this, 5 were apocryphal because they were not registered on the Copred platform.
“He sought to deceive this council,” he said.
Given this, the public body concluded that the company “was not willing to acknowledge its responsibility” nor was it “interested in reconciling, designing and implementing measures” on the problem.
In addition, the restaurant chain delivered documents “that had nothing to do” with the facts investigated, for which it warned that “it did not even bother to find out why the file had been opened.”
Given this, the Council recommended carrying out an internal diagnosis, continuous training, implementing the permanent Anti-Racist campaign, an equal service protocol, an internal system for monitoring, prevention and attention to discrimination in the service. Likewise, workers must deliver semi-annual reports to the public body.
For its part, it is up to the Mayor Miguel Hidalgo to begin inspections to sanction.
Finally, Geraldine González de la Vega urged the CDMX Congress to modify the Commercial Establishments Law so that prevention measures are established, such as training, sanctions are raised and the wording of the plates found in shops is changed.
These say: “In this establishment there is no discrimination.” The proposal seeks to reform the phrase to say: “In this establishment it is prohibited to discriminate.”
Reference-aristeguinoticias.com
