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Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico was invaded by the US in 1898 after winning independence from Spain. An independence movement has thrived ever since that has reasserted a right to self-determination and an end to US colonialism. Includes extensive material on Puerto Rican Independentistas, political prisoners, prisoners of war* and land rights as well as struggles in the diaspora.

This collection contains sub-collections focused on political parties and organizations committed to the struggle for Puerto Rican independence, groups and organizations founded to support political prisoners and prisoners of war and general information. 

*Prisoners of War:
On October 12, 1970, UN resolution 2621 approved by the General Assembly, declared colonialism an international crime. Said resolution reaffirmed the right of any intervened, colonized nation to utilize whatever form of struggle is necessary to obtain its independence. Armed struggle, military resistance and whatever form of struggle that leads to the independence of nations that are colonized, invaded and occupied by foreign military troops, is recognized as a right by the UN. Puerto Rico, by virtue of being a colonial state is supported by International Law.

International Law is also very specific in reference to prisoners of war. According to the Geneva Convention, combatants who have declared themselves prisoners of war must be recognized as such. Those Puerto Ricans arrested were armed and accused of belonging to the Armed Forces of Puerto Rican National Libertion. The nature of the arrest and the US government's own indictment only serves to reaffirm that the eleven were combatants in the struggle for Puerto Rican independence at the time of their arrests. According to the Geneva Treaty, ratified by the UN in 1949, captured soldiers are prisoners of war. It is thus the argument of the eleven that they are prisoners of war.

Subcollections

  • Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
    Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
    The National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners, 1981-1998, campaigned around many issues, regarding the 15 Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War.
  • Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
    Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
    The FALN was an anti-colonial and anti-imperialist clandestine organization based in the diaspora using armed propaganda to advocate for Puerto Rican independence.
  • Libertad
    Libertad
    Bi-lingual newsletters produced from 1979-1998 by the Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of war. Libertad’s primary mission was to organize support for Puerto Rican prisoners of war incarcerated by the United States.
  • Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
    Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional
    Formed to analyze attempts by the US government to crush the Puerto Rican independence movement, and to form a new political vehicle to resist this oppression.
  • New Movement
    New Movement
    An anti-imperialist group in solidarity with the Puerto Rican Independence movement, it supported all aspects of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement- including clandestine groups on the island and in the Diaspora.
  • Puerto Rico Small Books and Monographs
    Puerto Rico Small Books and Monographs
    This collection contains books and monographs pertaining to the independence struggle of Puerto Rico. Many of these books were written by major figures in the Puerto Rican Independence movement and discuss a variety of topics.
  • Puerto Rico: A History of the People
    Puerto Rico: A History of the People
    This collection contains documents detailing the various struggles of Puerto Ricans against foreign invaders from the arrival of the Spanish to the current occupation by the United States of America.
  • Que Ondee Sola
    Que Ondee Sola
    Que Ondee Sola was established in 1972 and remains the oldest Puerto Rican/Latina/o university student publication in print.

Documents

Desde Las Rejas: Statements by the Eleven Puerto Rican Prisoners of War In the Concentration Camp of Cook County Desde Las Rejas: Statements by the Eleven Puerto Rican Prisoners of War In the Concentration Camp of Cook County
Authors: Carmen Valentin, Elizam Escobar, Lucy Rodriguez, Dylcia Pagan, Alfredo Mendez, Alicia Rodriguez, Luis Rosa, Adolfo Matos, Ricardo Dick Jiminez, Carlos Alberto TorresPublisher: FALNDate: 4/28/1980Volume Number: April 28Format: MonographCollection: Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
Statements and Declarations by the FALN 11.
It's Time to Bring Them Home It's Time to Bring Them Home
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: MonographCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Background; What You Can Do; Sample Letter; Prisoners' addresses; Prisoners' Biographies. In English and Spanish.
Petition to the U.N. on P.O.W. Status Petition to the U.N. on P.O.W. Status
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: MonographCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Statement of the Case; The Puerto Rican People at War with US Colonialism; The Capture and Prosecution of the Eleven; Petitioners Claim: Under International Law, Captured Puerto Rican Freedom Fightres are Entitled to the Status of Prisoner of War and to Release from Detention and Imprisonment; Conclusion: The US Government has refused to recognize petitioners' status as prisoners of war. The United Nations and its constituent bodies are the approperiate forum for their claim; Appendix.
Acto Cultural Con Los Reconocidos Grupos Culturales Acto Cultural Con Los Reconocidos Grupos Culturales
Publisher: Comite Nacional Pro-Libertad Prisoners de Guerra PuertorriquenosDate: 4/2/1983Volume Number: 2-AprFormat: ProgramCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Program in Spanish.