[Ppnews] FBI interviews Archbishop of San Juan

Fri Apr 4 13:44:45 EDT 2008

English translation follows Spanish

Entrevistado por el FBI el Arzobispo
Por: Melissa Correa VelÃ¡zquez
EL VOCERO
4 abril 2008
http://www.vocero.com/noticias.asp?s=Locales&n=110478

El arzobispo de San Juan, Roberto Gonzalez 
Nieves, confirmo a EL VOCERO que agentes del 
Negociado Federal de Investigaciones (FBI) lo 
entrevistaron con relacion a dos visitas que el 
lider religioso le hizo al presidente del 
Ejercito Popular Boricua Los Macheteros, 
Filiberto Ojeda Rios, mientras este se encontraba en el clandestinaje.
Gonzalez Nieves indico que unos cuatro o cinco 
meses despues de la muerte de Ojeda Rios, dos 
agentes del FBI lo visitaron en la residencia Episcopal del Viejo San Juan.
La visita de los agentes se produjo debido a que 
durante el allanamiento de la residencia del 
lider Machetero ocurrido el 23 de septiembre del 
2005 en Hormigueros, las autoridades se 
incautaron de un libro que el Arzobispo le regalo 
y el cual estaba dedicado por el religioso. El 
libro era "Memoria e Identidad", del fenecido papa Juan Pablo II.
Indico que la entrevista con los agentes duro 
varias horas y que la misma consistio en dos 
partes. La primera, sobre el Plan de Bienestar de 
la Union de la Union Independiente de la 
Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (UIA), 
del cual el Arzobispo fue presidente de la Junta, 
y la segunda sobre Ojeda Rios.
"Me hicieron muchas preguntas, pero no puedo 
entrar en ese tipo de detalle porque crearia un 
ambiente innecesario ahora. Fueron varias horas. 
Llamaron primero, hicieron una cita. El ambiente 
fue respetuoso y el dialogo fue respetuoso. Los 
obispos de Puerto Rico estan conscientes de esa entrevista", comento.
Explico que su comunicacion con Ojeda Rios surgio 
luego de que en una entrevista de prensa le 
preguntaron si estaba dispuesto a dialogar con el 
lider machetero y que el respondio en la 
afirmativa y que le hablaria sobre la paz y la no violencia.
"Siete meses mas tarde recibi una comunicacion de 
Filiberto y si converse con el personalmente en 
dos ocasiones, luego le envie un libro de Juan 
Pablo II con una dedicatoria. El lo estaba 
leyendo cuando sucedio la tragedia", destaco el 
prelado, quien aclaro que no fue confesor de Ojeda Ros.
En cuanto a sus reuniones con el lider machetero, 
expreso que "tuvimos un dialogo pastoral. Sobre 
todo le hable de la importancia de la no 
violencia, la metodologia del diÃ¡logo y la 
mediacion y la importancia de la guia espiritual. 
Detecte en el una apertura y en su interior 
estaba dando cambios favorables". No ofrecio 
detalles sobre los cambios y declino dar detalles 
sobre el lugar de los encuentros.
SeÃ±alÃ³ que Ojeda Rios le pidio tener un tercer 
encuentro, pero que el Arzobispo le respondio que no era prudente.
"Me enviÃ³ una nota de otro encuentro y le 
respondÃ que no era prudente y le enviÃ© el 
libro. No era prudente por todas las 
circunstancias que se estaban dando", respondio escuetamente.
Hace unos dias el Colegio de Abogados anuncio que 
solicitare la intervencion del Relator Especial 
de la Organizacion de Naciones Unidas (ONU) que 
investiga la muerte de personas a manos de 
agentes del orden publico o de paramilitares.
Ojeda Rios fue muerto a tiros durante un 
operativo de agentes del FBI en su residencia en Hormigueros.
Actualmente un Gran Jurado continua evaluando 
evidencia sobre supuestas actividades ilegales del Ejercito Popular Boricua.
El 10 de febrero del 2006 el FBI confirmo en un 
comunicado de prensa que ejecuto unas cinco 
ordenes de allanamiento en Rio Piedras, Trujillo 
Alto, San German, Aguadilla e Isabela "para 
prevenir un potencial ataque terrorista".
*****************************************************************************
Archbishop interviewed by FBI
By: Melissa Correa Velazquez
EL VOCERO
April 4, 2008
http://www.vocero.com/noticias.asp?s=Locales&n=110478

The archbishop of San Juan, Roberto Gonzalez 
Nieves, confirmed to EL VOCERO that Federal 
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents interviewed 
him with respect to two visits that the religious 
leader had with the president of the Boricua 
Popular Army Los Macheteros, Filiberto Ojeda 
Rios, while he was in clandestinity.

Gonzalez Nieves indicated that some four or five 
months following the death of Ojeda Rios, two FBI 
agents visited him at the Bishopric in Viejo San Juan.

The agents' visit came about due to the fact that 
during the search of the Machetero leader's home 
on September 23, 2005 in Hormigueros, authorities 
confiscated a book which the Archbishop had given 
him and in which the Archbishop had inscribed a 
dedication. The book was "Memory and Identity," 
by now deceased pope John Paul II.

He indicated that the interview with the agents 
lasted several hours and was conducted in two 
parts. The first was about the Plan of Well Being 
of the Union, by the Independent Union of the 
Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (UIA by its Spanish 
initials), of which the Archbishop was president 
of the Board; and the second was about Ojeda Rios.

"They asked me a lot of questions, but I can't go 
into much detail because it would create an 
unnecessary atmosphere at this point. It lasted 
several hours. They called first and made an 
appointment. The atmosphere was respectful, and 
the dialogue was respectful. The bishops of 
Puerto Rico are aware of this interview," he commented.

He explained that his communication with Ojeda 
Rios came about after an interview with the press 
where he was asked if he would be willing to 
dialogue with the Machetero leader, and he 
responded affirmatively, and that he would speak 
with him about peace and non-violence.

"Seven months later I received a communication 
from Filiberto, and yes, I spoke with him 
personally on two occasions. Later I sent him a 
book by John Paul II with a dedication. He was 
reading it when the tragedy took place," the 
prelate pointed out, clarifying that he was not Ojeda Rios' confessor.

As for his meetings with the Machetero leader, he 
expressed that "we had a pastoral dialogue. Above 
all, I spoke to him of the importance of 
non-violence, the methodology of dialogue and 
mediation and the importance of a spiritual 
guide. I detected in him an opening, and in his 
interior he was making favorable changes." He did 
not offer details about the changes and declined 
to give details about the place of the meetings.

He indicated that Ojeda Rios had asked for a 
third meeting, but the Archbishop responded that it would not be prudent.

"He sent me a note about another meeting, and I 
responded that it would not be prudent, and I 
sent him the book. It wasn't prudent for all the 
circumstances that were taking place," he responded concisely.

Two days ago the Bar Association announced that 
it will seek the intervention of the Special 
Rapporteur of the United Nations (UN) to 
investigate the death of people at the hands of 
law enforcement or paramilitary agents.

Ojeda Rios was shot to death during an operation 
by FBI agents at his home in Hormigueros.

Currently a Grand Jury continues to evaluate 
evidence about supposed illegal activities of the Boricua Popular Army.

On February 10, 2006, the FBI confirmed in a 
press release that it carried out some six search 
warrants in Rio Piedras, Trujillo Alto, San 
German, Aguadilla and Isabela "to prevent a potential terrorist attack."

Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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