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<h2><b>Mayors Association requesting liberation of Oscar López
Rivera</b></h2><font size=3>December 20, 2010<br>
by
</font><a name="Juan A. Hernandez"></a><font size=3 color="#666666">Juan
A. Hernandez<br>
<a href="mailto:jhernandez@prdailysun.net">jhernandez@prdailysun.net</a>
<br>
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<a href="http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Mayors-Association-requesting-liberation-of-Oscar-Lpez-Rivera" eudora="autourl">
http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Mayors-Association-requesting-liberation-of-Oscar-Lpez-Rivera</a>
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<br>
</font><font size=2>Mayors from across the island signed a petition
Sunday for the release from prison of pro-independence activist Oscar
López Rivera.<br><br>
The petition, dubbed the "Comerío Statement", was signed by
members of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association, who characterized López
Rivera’s incarceration as “ideological punishment.”<br><br>
“It is high time for this brother, whose only crime is his activism in
favor of Puerto Rico’s independence, to come back home to his family,”
Comerío mayor Josean Santiago said.<br><br>
The petition states that López Rivera’s 70-year sentence makes him a
political prisoner whose conviction is due only for being associated to a
political and military organization that promotes independence for Puerto
Rico.<br><br>
In 1980 López Rivera was convicted of seditious conspiracy by the U.S.
government because of his alleged involvement with the National
Liberation Armed Forces (FALN for its Spanish acronym), a Nationalist
group linked to several bombings and five deaths during the
1970’s.<br><br>
López Rivera, born in San Sebastián, is a Vietnam era veteran and
received a Bronze Star medal for meritorious service. Prior to his
conviction López Rivera was a respected community activist and Puerto
Rican independence leader in the city of Chicago.<br><br>
Santiago’s involvement in the campaign for the release of López Rivera
came last summer, when he met the prisoner’s brother José during a visit
to Chicago.<br><br>
“The Puerto Rican community there had dedicated their main festivities to
Comerío and I was invited to the event. There I met José, who told me
about his brother and the difficulties he faces in prison. It was hard
for me not to feel sympathy for his sibling,” Santiago said.<br><br>
“This Puerto Rican brother has spent 29 of his 67 years in a prison just
for his beliefs. That is cruel and extreme punishment. It is time for him
to come back home,” he added.<br><br>
The petition will be sent to the president of the federal Parole Board,
Isaac Fulwood. The petition reiterates another sent in November by U.S.
Congress members Luis Gutiérrez (Ill), Nydia Velázquez (NY) and José
Serrano (NY) ?all born in Puerto Rico.<br>
p;<br>
“We have to put aside all political considerations. This is a matter of
humanity ? I’m confident thaat with the support of these Congress
members, along with the support of our Resident Commissioner Pedro
Pierluisi there is a good chance for us to have Oscar back home with us
soon,” Santiago said.<br><br>
Congressman Gutiérrez, who is visiting the island during the holidays,
anticipated he will present the petition to the new Congress next Jan.
4th.<br><br>
“I’m convinced that conditions are favorable for Oscar’s release thanks
to the support of the Resident Commissioner and the Puerto Rican
community,” Gutiérrez said.<br><br>
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<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
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