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
The Puerto Rican Prisoners of War
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: PamphletCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Who is a Prisoner of War; Origin of the Puerto Rican Prisoners of War; War Booty of 1898; The Independence Movement's reply; International Law; Patriots, Not Terrorists.
Alto al Maltrato Contra El Patriota Oscar Lopez Rivera! Stop the Mistreatment of Puerto Rican POW Oscar Lopez Rivera!
Publisher: West Coast Chapter of National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: PamphletCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Support pamphlet in English and Spanish.
Sample letter to Attorney General Janet Reno
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersFormat: FlyerCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Sample letter calling for the unconditional amnesty for all Puerto Rican political prisoners confined in prisons and jails in the US.
The Struggle Continues!!
Format: FlyerCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Flyer distributed after the US government captured Wilfredo Santana and Oscar Lopez.
National Conference Against Repression: A Call to Resist
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.
Update
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersYear: 1981Volume Number: Vol. 1-IIIFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Committee Chile En Lucha Sponsors Activity Commemorating Sept. 11, 1973; Celebrate El Grito de Lares; All Out to Levenworth Federal Penitentiary; Evening of Resistance Against Red Squad; Puerto Rican Patriot Jorge Albizu Orta Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison.
Update
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersYear: 1981Volume Number: Vol. 1-IVFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Celebrate El Grito de Lares; Regional Campaign to Build for October 31st Mobilization; Haydee Torres Transferred to San Diego MCC; Update on Cruz-Osorio. In English and Spanish.
90 Years of Colonialism
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersYear: 1988Format: FlyerCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Celebrate the Grito de Lares (Birth of the Puerto Rican nation)
El Bienteveo Libre
Publisher: West Coast Chapter of National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersYear: 1993Volume Number: No. 5 AprilFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Contents: Information about the struggle to win freedom for Puerto Rican political prisoners and prisoners of war.
Towards a Future without Puerto Rican Prisoners of War & Political Prisoners
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political PrisonersYear: 1991Format: FlyerCollection: Free Puerto Rican POWs and Political Prisoners
Support pamphlet
