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
MLN program at May 19th communist office
Continuation of previous tape. MLN representative, Daniel Solis, asks for live questions from the audience. Topics from questions asked include, leftist tendencies in Mexico, differences from reform and revolution, gaining international support for Mexican struggle, and the Mexican governments role in the revolution.
Puerto Rico: Oscar Collazo (2 of 3)
Discusses Nationalist Party’s position on Korean War and Vietnam. Discusses Congress Act, those sent to prison, and his own trial. Discusses goals of Nationalist Party as Independence & Socialism. Discusses Socialism, Communism, Anarchism’s place within the independence movement. Discusses question of tactics and use of violent struggle within the independence struggle -- a question, he says, which had divided/destroyed the Party before he arrived in NYC in 1940. Mentions Party’s interaction with Congressman Mark Antonio. Describes briefly Don Pedro Albizu Campus’ & Benardo Diaz’ last years before their deaths. Describes his own life in prison. Mentions that the Civil Rights Movement had an impact on him and mentions the fallacies of the Freedom of Information Act.
Felix Matta speaking at Puerto Rican Independence Event
Felix Matta speaking at a Solidarity event for Puerto Rican independence in San Francisco. Gloria Alunzo and Leslie Mullin give introductions. Slightly off-mic
Speech by Julio Rosado about Puerto Rican Independence Movement (2 of 2)
Continuation of speech by Julio Rosado on Puerto Rican Independence (LA 030). Question/ answer section. 10 min.
Puerto Rican Freedom Fighters
Interviews with Dylcia Pagan, Judith Mirkinson, Eduardo Colon with Michael Deutsch, and Josephina Rodriguez.
Grito de Lares Commemoration Event
Continued from LA033 -- This event, commemorating 121 years after El Grito de Lares (the “birth” of the Puerto Rican nation), was organized by Casa Puerto Rico, el Movimiento de Liberacion Puertorriqueno, and the Free Puerto Rico Committee. In mixed Spanish and English. Gloria Alonzo and Eli Jordan are the masters of ceremony. This tape is the end of the speech by Josephina Rodriguez reading a message from prison from one of her daughters -- Alicia or Ida Luz. It might be on-mic.
Music of the Grito de Lares Commemoration Event in San Francisco
Los Pleneros de la 24 (Afro-Puerto Rican Plena) perform a musical set at the end of an event commemorating the Grito de Lares in 1868, a crucial uprising of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement. They describe themselves as the artistic arm of el Comite Pro-Puertoriceno. In Spanish. On and Off Mic at event.
Puerto Rican Independence (continued from LA056)
10 min. Tape starts mid-sentence - (probably continued from lost tape LA56) , Jose Lopez talks about Puerto Rican independence party and movement, Puerto Rican politics, the most recent colonial elections, voting, participation. Some questions from audience.
Puerto Rican Plebscite Seminar -Tape 3 of 3
Date: 6/30/1989Call Number: LA 062AFormat: Cass AProgram: recorded conferenceCollection: Puerto Rico
Tape 3 of 3. In Spanish. Off-mic recording of a day-long seminar at the University of Puerto Rico on the Puerto Rican Plebiscite and Independence.
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).
