First Intervention of the Shareholders Meeting of Santander Bank

Written on 20 April 2015.

Santander, March 27, 2015

Good afternoon, Mrs. President, Board members, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Maria de Lluc Bagur from Delàs and speak as a member of the Center Delàs for Peace Studies on behalf of the unarmed Banco Santander campaign. I speak on behalf of dozens of shareholders who have transferred 47,576 shares to the unarmed Banco Santander campaign to raise my voice today in this forum. We urge you, on your behalf, to modify the bank’s policy of controversial investments.

Lady Botin this is the first time you sit at a General Meeting of Shareholders of Banco Santander as president. So we want you to get to know us, and remind you that year after year we have profiled in this forum and the media, and to the shareholders of the company and society in general the controversial investments of this bank.

Banco Santander supports undisputably some very controversial projects. This is what we’re going to remember and we hope to explain why the help and investment of your entity is threatening thousands of lives.One of these is the Jaitapur Project in India, whose complaint has been written by the BankTrack organization, which brings together more than 200 NGOs worldwide. Jaitapur is under the responsibility of the French nuclear company Areva, due to an agreement with the Nuclear Energy Cooperative India.

You have participated in the syndicate AREVA with 500 million euros credit. Their destination, the construction of nuclear reactors which generate energy from uranium and plutonium. However, according to reports from activists, including Vaishali Pati, the actual bet happens to be part of greater Asian nuclear escalation. Both the Indian government and entities involved in the project have confirmed that the construction of the world's largest nuclear power plant is directly related to the fact that neighboring countries possessing nuclear weapons.

The use of nuclear threats may have terrible consequences for millions of people. Mrs. Botín, are you aware that this participation in the project can contribute to global nuclear escalation? Do you agree, Mrs. Botín, that your investment is dedicated to the manufacture of nuclear weapons? As president of Banco Santander, you will have to answer these questions.

We also report to you, once again, the proposed dams on the Madeira River in Brazil. We talked about this issue before the Shareholders' Meeting in 2008 and 2009. As you know, the construction of dams in the Amazon rainforest can alter the habitat of indigenous communities, threatening their survival. In addition, extractive companies and attracts further immigration, colonization and logging to these areas.

In response to numerous protests by NGOs such as Survival International, Banco Santander said in March 2011 have withdrawn the financial support to the construction of dams in Jirau and Santo Antonio. However, a few months later he retracted and acknowledged that continued driving these two controversial buildings. We want to know, Mrs. Booty, if today Banco Santander continues to fund both dams. What is your current situation? Does Banco Santander willing to respect the rights of indigenous peoples?

Mrs. Botin do your shareholders and customers know that their savings contribute decisively to the arms business? You know that some communities have their rights overwhelmed by large companies with financial support from Banco Santander? There is a chance for change Mrs. Botín. Seize it and make a difference.

SECOND INTERVENTION of the SHAREHOLDERS Metting of BANCO SANTANDER

Written on 20 April 2015.

Good afternoon, Mrs. President, the Board members, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jose Maria Moya and I speak as a member of Delàs Study Center for Peace on behalf of the unarmed Banco Santander Campaign. I speak on behalf of the dozens of shareholders who have transferred 47,576 shares to the unarmed Banco Santander campaign to raise my voice today in this forum. We urge you, on your behalf, to modify your policy of controversial investments.

In year one we have to denounced the Santander Bank investments in the arms industry. According to the report Do not bank on the bomb, by the NGO PAX, in July of last year, the bank allocated $ 106 million to finance the company Finmeccanica. This company is accused of providing weapons to the Qaddafi government and is related to WASS (Whitehead underwater systems), the global leader of all weapons systems underwater. Wass is known for manufacturing the MU90 lightweight torpedo that can be launched from ships, helicopters and control towers. They also manufacture the A244 / s lightweight torpedo, the Black Shark Heavyweight torpedo, a new generation of long distance torpedo designed to be launched from surface ships or submarines and anti-torpedo systems countermeasure. Do you know how many lives have been claimed this gun? Do you know where the weapons were sold to the government of Muammar Al Qaddafi are now? what has been their contribution to the chaos and terror that has spread over Africa and elsewhere?

Vídeo Junta de Accionistas BBVA 2015

Written on 17 April 2015.

Vídeo de la campaña BBVA Sin Armas en la Junta General de Accionistas del BBVA 2015 para instar a la entidad financiera a que modifique su política de inversión y financiación de la industria de armamento.

Para ver el vídeo haga click aquí

BBVA Takes Notice

Written on 16 April 2015.

For another year, the Banking Armada campaign has intervened in the General shareholders meeting of BBVA. This intervention was done with the intention of urging the bank to amend its investing policy and stop financing the arms industry. The two activists from the campaign who attended the meeting focused their criticisms on issues such as BBVA investments in extractive industries in Colombia as well as financial contributions to enterprises producing nuclear weapons.

BBVA is the Spanish bank that had the most capital invested in the arms industry from 2005-2013, a sum totaling €3.626 million. Among these controversial investments, one that stands out is to the company Drummond, responsible for the extraction of coal in many mines in Colombia. BBVA financed this company with €200 Million and is accused of supporting crimes and violence committed by paramilitaries in return for guaranteeing their operation within Colombia.

Request for action to participate in the general meeting of shareholders of CaixaBank and Banco Sabadell 2015

Written on 16 April 2015.

Request for Shares to Attend the General Shareholders Meetings of Caixabank and Sabadell Bank

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Another year gone and the entities involved in the armed Banking campaign will participate in the general meetings of shareholders of CaixaBank and Banco Sabadell to denounce their policies of investment in weapons companies. We try to explain to shareholders of the bank and the media some of the many consequences associated with their investments in the arms industry as well as to inform greater society of these issues.

If, as a shareholder in one of these entities one does not approve its investment policy in the arms industry, one can grant us his shares and we will represent you in our complaint. You can send your signed participation card or write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "and we will contact you to manage the transfer of one’s shares.

Thank you very much.