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.
Documents
![Tribute to Jose E. Lopez](images/thumbnails//27011.jpg)
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.
![25 Years of Struggle, 25 Years of Resistance: Document No. 2](images/thumbnails//27009.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free the Four Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1978Format: MonographCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Memorandum from Lolita Lebron re: the case of Puerto Rico and its Nationalist Prisoners from the November 1, 1954 attack on the Capitol and Congress.
![25 Years of Struggle, 25 Years of Resistance: Document No. 1](images/thumbnails//27008.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free the Four Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1978Format: MonographCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Introduction; Factual Background; Petitioners; Standing; Exhaustion of Remedies; Accusation; Conclusion; Appendix.
![National Committee Update](images/thumbnails//27006.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersDate: 10/1/1992Volume Number: 1-OctFormat: CorrespondenceCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Correspondance and notes
![Acto Cultural Con Los Reconocidos Grupos Culturales](images/thumbnails//27001.jpg)
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.
![POW Update](images/thumbnails//26995.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersVolume Number: Vol. 1-1Format: PeriodicalCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Puerto Rican Nationalist Prisoners of War are Free; Vieques Example of Valor; Contradictions of Andres' Funeral; Free Pablo and Nydia; Lares, Cradle of Our Army.
![National Conference Against Repression: A Call to Resist](images/thumbnails//26993.jpg)
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: FlyerCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Proposition of a national conference against repression and fascism to discuss the many ramifications of US imperialist repression, and to develop a national strategy and program against fascism.
![US Colonialism in Puerto Rico 1898-](images/thumbnails//26984.jpg)
Publisher: Free Puerto Rico! CommitteeFormat: PamphletCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Pamphlet addressing the following nine questions: What is Colonialism?; What is the history of colonialism in Puerto Rico?; Why is Puerto Rico so important to the United States?; What are the effects of US Colonialism on the Puerto Rican people on the island and here in the US?; What is Puerto Rico's current status?; Many ask What would the Puerto Rican people do without our help?; What has been the response of the Puerto Rican people?; Why is the Puerto Rican independence movement in this country?; Why should North Americans oppose colonialism in Puerto Rico?
![Petition to the U.N. on P.O.W. Status](images/thumbnails//26978.jpg)
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.
![It's Time to Bring Them Home](images/thumbnails//26976.jpg)
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.