[News] U Puerto Rico supporters swell the ranks of fee protest

[Anti-Imperialist News]

UPR supporters swell the ranks of fee protest

December 24, 2010
by Juan A. Hernandez
<mailto:jhernandez at prdailysun.net>jhernandez at prdailysun.net
http://www.prdailysun.com/news/UPR-supporters-swell-the-ranks-of-fee-protest


University of Puerto Rico students  once again 
received the support of thousands of people in 
their struggle to avert the imposition next 
semester of the $800 Special Fiscal Stabilization Fee.

A crowd of several thousand people demonstrated 
Thursday along with UPR students in a picket line 
that extended from the main gate of the Río 
Piedras campus to the intersection of Ponce de León and Gándara avenues.

“We are here with our sons and daughters to 
defend their education and our university,” said 
an unidentified woman marching among the 
students. “We are not troublemakers; we are parents.”

During a press conference Wednesday, labor and 
community leaders had called for the 
demonstration in support of the student struggle 
against the $800 special fee and the presence of 
police detachments on campus. Community leaders 
from Villa Sin Miedo (San Juan), Villas del Sol 
(Toa Baja), Sonadora (Aguas Buenas) and others 
came to express their support. At the same time, 
labor leaders from General Workers Union, the 
Puerto Rico Workers Syndicate, the Puerto Rico 
Workers Federation, the Electric and Irrigation 
Industry Workers Union, known as UTIER, and the 
Puerto Rico Teachers Association and Federation, 
among many others, also turned out to express their support.

Public Communications student Alicia Petru Gerena 
thanked the people for their support and 
reiterated the students’ disposition to continue their struggle.

“As in 1981, we now stand at this moment in 
history with our people to tell the government 
that we have taken to the streets willing to 
fight for our future,” said Petru Gerena, 
referring to the 1981 UPR student strike.

Teachers Association President Aida Díaz 
concurred with the student in that the people had 
come “to defend their university.”
“Many of us studied here and we want our children 
to receive from it what we received before,” Díaz said.

The veteran teacher urged Gov. Fortuño to 
reconsider his position because “things can still be negotiated.”

Dr. Iván Rodríguez Cancel, who was appointed last 
year as Health Department Secretary by Fortuño, 
also expressed his support for the university.

“As a Puerto Rican, I consider the people must 
express their solidarity with the University of 
Puerto Rico,” said Rodríguez Cancel, who withdrew 
his nomination to the Health post.

“This is an unfortunate situation for the 
university, the institution that prepared us for 
the challenges of the past and the one that will 
prepare us for those of the future,” Rodríguez Cancel, a UPR alumnus, added.

Support for the student cause also came from the 
Dominican Human Rights Committee.

“We want to change the perception that we 
‘dominicanos’ don’t integrate with the people who 
have received us, that we don’t take part in the 
issues affecting Puerto Rico,” spokesman José Rodríguez said.

“We are against the abuse the police have 
committed against the students and particularly 
against our community,” Rodríguez said.

According to the human rights activist,  police 
first “test”  their abusive techniques on the 
dominicanos to later act against Puerto Ricans.
“I have two teenage boys and they will be coming 
here soon [to the UPR] to study. I won’t be able 
to pay for the education of both of them if the 
fee is imposed, “ Rodríguez said.

Rodríguez estimated there are 3,000 to 4,000 
Dominicans enrolled in universities, both public 
and private, across the island.
UPR students have been on strike for the last 
nine days after the administration refused to 
repeal Certification 146, imposing a special $800 
Fiscal Stabilization Fee to solve the worst 
economic crisis in university history. Even 
though students have been presenting their 
proposals to university officials during the 
semester, it wasn’t until the day before the 
strike that university President José Ramón De la 
Torre agreed to meet with them.

Confrontations between the students and the 
police contingents now stationed at the campus 
erupted this week, with 17 students arrested, and several others injured.

Regarding the clashes between students and the 
police, UTIER president Ángel Figueroa Jaramillo 
warned the police about future confrontations.

“We will not promote violence, but we will not be 
hit and pushed either. We have the right to free 
speech and we will defend ourselves,” Figueroa Jaramillo said.

After the protest, a Christmas concert (asalto 
navideño) was offered to the demonstrators 
preceded by the University Chorus, which sang the alma mater.

Renowned artist Pablo Marcano García took the 
occasion to unveil his painting “Fuego Coral,” in 
homage to chorus director Prof. Carmen Acevedo and the chorus.

“Professor Acevedo and the University Chorus 
represent the best of our spirit 
 as long as 
they endure, we will all be better,” Marcano García said.




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