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.
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
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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)
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
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
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
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
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
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 was established in 1972 and remains the oldest Puerto Rican/Latina/o university student publication in print.
Documents
10 Documents Found
Puerto Rican Politcal Prisoners and Prisoners of War
Date: 1/10/1992Call Number: LA 050Format: Cass A & BProducers: Noelle Hanrahan (in assoc. with Gloria Alonzo), Jane Segal, J. Mullins, Bo (Rita D.) BrownProgram: You Can’t Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the USCollection: Puerto Rico
Part of a thirteen part series (You Can’t Jail the Spirit). Interviews with PR PPs/POWs over prison phones and Puerto Rican Independentista activists and academics. Intro by Gloria Alonzo, Interviews by Avotcha. Recorded voices of Felix Mata, then Umberto Pagan (recorded at 1989 Grito de Lares Event in San Francisco). Interviews with Rafael Cancel Miranda, Dylcia Pagan (POW talking from prison), Jose Lopez (re: MLN today), Adolfo Matos (POW talking from Lompock Penintentiary). Music. Interview with Margarita Mengal (professor, talking on Ofensive ‘92). (duplicated on LA 070)
Grito de Lares Commemoration Event
Event Commemorating el Grito de Lares (1868, Puerto Rican Independence struggle) with Humberto Pagan Hernandez and the National Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. Dedicated to Alejandrina Torres, William Guillermo Morales, and Filberto Ojeda Rios. Leslie Mulin of the Free PR Committee reads a statement of solidarity. Gloria Alonzo reads a statement from Adolfo Matos on the criminalizaiton of the Independence Movement through the judicial proceedings in Hartford, CT. Humberto Pagan talks about PR colonial history and resistance.
Jose Lopez
Jose Lopez, of the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional (MLN) of Puerto Rico, grand jury resister, co-founder of Pedro Albizu Campus High School, brother of Oscar Lopez Rivera, talks about counterinsurgency, Prisons and Puerto Rico, US imperialism at home and abroad. Talks about 1978 secret conference on "terrorists" in PR, about Angel's (last name?) "suicide" in prison, the Federal Raids on homes in PR, Macheteros and the FALN, etc. Cuts off after he finishes.
Puerto Rican Politcal Prisoners and Prisoners of War
Date: 1/10/1992Call Number: LA 067AFormat: Cass AProducers: Noel Hanrahan (in assoc. with Gloria Alonzo), Jane Segal, J. Mullins, Bo (Rita D.) BrownProgram: You Can’t Jail the Spirit #9: Political Prisoners in the USCollection: Puerto Rico
(Incomplete Duplicate of LA 050). Part of a thirteen part series (You Can’t Jail the Spirit). Interviews with PR PPs/POWs over prison phones and Puerto Rican Independentista activists and academics. (Missing LA050’s Intro by Gloria Alonzo, interviews with Felix Mata, Umberto Pagan (recorded at 1989 Grito de Lares Event in San Francisco), and Rafael Cancel Miranda). Does include interviews by Avotja with Dylcia Pagan (POW talking from prison), Jose Lopez (re: MLN today), Adolfo Matos (POW talking from Lompock Penintentiary). Music. Interview with Margarita Mengal (professor, talking on Ofensive ‘92).
Puerto Rican Politcal Prisoners and Prisoners of War
Date: 1/10/1992Call Number: LA 070Format: Cass A & BProducers: Noel Hanrahan (in assoc. with Gloria Alonzo), Jane Segal, J. Mullins, Bo (Rita D.) BrownProgram: You Can’t Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the USCollection: Puerto Rico
(Duplicate of LA 050.) Part of a thirteen part series (You Can’t Jail the Spirit). Interviews with PR PPs/POWs over prison phones and Puerto Rican Independentista activists and academics. Intro by Gloria Alonzo, Interviews by Avotcha. Recorded voices of Felix Mata, then Umberto Pagan (recorded at 1989 Grito de Lares Event in San Francisco). Interviews with Rafael Cancel Miranda, Dylcia Pagan (POW talking from prison), Jose Lopez (re: MLN today), Adolfo Matos (POW talking from Lompock Penintentiary). Music. Interview with Margarita Mengal (professor, talking on Ofensive ‘92).
Conditions in Puerto Rico and the US oppression of the Puerto Rican people
Jose Lopez of the New Movement Conference speaks about the movement in Puerto Rico within the world context. He talks about how most people do not recognize the importance to Puerto Rico’s movement and the struggle its people have been going through. He speaks about against the United States and Europe’s imperialist acts on the rest of the world, and speaks about against the myth of superiority of capitalism. He speaks about the poor conditions most Puerto Ricans live in, and how Puerto Rico consumes what it does not produce, and produces what it does not consume. Lastly, he asks what the political plans of the US are for PR? He asserts that the United States wants to see Puerto Rico tied to them economically as to disallow them complete independence, while not allowing them statehood rights either.
Jose Lopez May Day Talk - Part 1
Analyzes history and present situation of Puerto Rican independence struggle from Marxist perspective, class and national struggle.
Jose Lopez May Day Talk - Part 2
Analyzes history and present situation of Puerto Rican independence struggle from Marxist perspective, class and national struggle.
Tribute to Jose E. Lopez
Date: 10/31/1999Volume Number: 31-OctFormat: ProgramCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Program from a 1999 tribute to Jose Lopez in Chicago.
LIBERTAD
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1986Volume Number: Vol. VII-VIII AugustFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Libertad
Contents: Interview with Jose Lopez; Jaime, Dora and Viola Out on Bond- Government turns to Grand Jury Witch Hunt; Month of Solidarity with Guillermo Morales Marches Forward; Reflections on Prison; Black August
10 Documents Found
