His career as a union leader took him away from agriculture and into politics, where he stood out for his criticism of the United States, whose anti-drug crusade meant the eradication of a cash crop for poor peasants.
Su carrera como líder sindical lo alejó de la agricultura, haciéndolo entrar de lleno en la política, en que destacó por su actitud crítica a los Estados Unidos, cuya cruzada antidrogas significaba erradicar un cultivo rentable para los campesinos pobres.