The Assassination of Filiberto Ojeda Rios by the FBI.

As we approach the 15th anniversary of the political assassination of El Comandante, Machetero Filiberto Ojeda Rios, we uphold his example as part of the history of resistance of the people of Puerto Rico. The FBI pursued Filiberto relentlessly for more than 40 years. Biding its time, the FBI waited until El Grito de Lares in 2005, an annual affirmation of our people's fights for independence, to assassinate him in his hometown of Hormigueros, Puerto Rico.

Filiberto Ojeda Rios organized and fought by all the means at his disposal, like generations Puerto Rican freedom fighters have done for over 500 years. Taino warriors fought against the imperial empire of Spain. The resistance of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. invasion of Puerto Rico in 1898 and our former and current political prisoners are a testament to our resistance. Today, this struggle continues and will continue until a truly independent Puerto Rico is a reality.

In 1990, Filiberto testified before the United Nations Decolonization Committee hearings on Puerto Rico. He denounced Puerto Rico’s colonial status, affirmed the inalienable right of the Puerto Rican people to fight, by any means necessary, for our independence and national sovereignty. Filiberto also spoke of the historic bonds of international solidarity with the people of the world, especially with the peoples of Latin American and the Caribbean.

Despite the ongoing lies and deception of Puerto Rican Revolutionaries like Lolita Lebron, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Pedro Albizu Campos, and others, we must stay vigilant and always remember these fallen souls that fought for independence.

I find it disgusting that we (US Citizens) continue to praise our so-called founding fathers of the United States but not fully examining the historical context behind it. Let’s not forget that many of our found fathers were slave owners, property owners, and simply racist individuals that had no empathy for any other race except for the Anglo-Saxons.

The American notion of a Manifest Destiny rested on a belief in the superiority of the Anglo-Saxon race and its right to rule the Western Hemisphere, especially the Caribbean and Latin America. During the US Presidency of William Howard Taft he made the following statement:

“The whole hemisphere will be ours in fact as, by virtue of our superiority of race, it already is ours morally.”

I guess in their eyes, they view Puerto Ricans, Blacks, and People of Color as “incapable of self-government” or “hostile to Christianity”!

Fast forward to the current day, has anything changed under the US rule? Look what is happening in other Latin America because of US Hegemonic Ideology being brutality imposed in these countries.

Filiberto Ojeda Rios will never be forgotten, and I encourage those who are reading the post to do some research on these revolutionary figures I mentioned above. History is a Weapon and we must utilize it to combat ignorance and fascist ideologies that are creeping up today.

FILIBERTO VIVE! LA LUCHA SIGUE!

Reference:

Juan A. Ocasio Rivera, Elma Beatriz Rosado. Five Years Later: Remembering Filiberto Ojeda Ríos. NACLA.org Retrieved from: https://nacla.org/news/five-years-later-remembering-filiberto-ojeda-r%C3%ADos

Denis, A. Nelson. War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America's Colony. Bold Types Book, NYC. 2015. p.254



by César Omar Sánchez. Community organizer, New York/New Jersey Cuba Si Coalition, Advisory Board Member of ProLibertad: Free All Political Prisoners Campaign.

Nelson's book on Puerto Rico's Dark History exposes the work of US Imperialism!

 

“The youth must defend the country with the weapons of knowledge.”

- Pedro Albizu Campos

Every nation on this planet has the right to self-determination. Every foreign government has the right to implement any political and economic ideology with the support from the people. However, no country around the world should be under siege and dictated by any foreign nation, especially by an imperialistic nation like the United States of America.

As a child, I remembered seeing a black and white color poster of what I would describe as an angry man shouting at a crowd of people while standing on a podium. With dark pierce eyes and having a passionate characteristic look, the expressions on the people's faces standing there looked inspired with hope and determination. Throughout my childhood, up to my adolescent years, this same iconic figure still appears in many Puerto Rican bars and restaurants in the Tri-State area of New York City. At that time, I never fully understood why this particular man was so important within the Latin community. The man’s face on every posters, flyers, t-shirts, and mural I came across in many Latin communities was the Revolutionary Pedro Albizu Campos.

Like many Revolutionaries all around the world, they fought against colonialism and the systemic economic caste that oppresses their people. Pedro Albizu Campos who was one of the main leaders and organizers of the Puerto Rican National Party fought for the independence of Puerto Rico.

Revolutionaries from Latin America and the Caribbeans were and still are being mischaracterized and misunderstood in history books. It is also sad to say that many Revolutionaries like Pedro Albizu Campos are no longer being discussed in the community or just simply hidden from LatinX and Caribbean academic studies. Can it be because of the fear of red-baiting from the US propaganda machine? Can it be the fear of actual systemic change in Puerto Rico that keeps many of us in the dark?  One thing for sure, a  radical and critical way of thinking to study and analyze the situation of Puerto Rico, both past and present is urgently needed.  

A book that I highly recommend reading which I believe gives a great overall summary history of the many movements in Puerto Rico against oppressive components and mechanisms like the Gag Law policy, FBI terror raids, and torture programs all supported by J. Edgar Hoover and US Government. That book is called the "War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America Colony"

From the Ponce Massacre to the US Bombing Campaign on the small island of Vieques(Puerto Rico's Land), and to the terror tactics unleashed on the poor working community throughout the island, the book sheds light on this dark history era in Puerto Rico.

Author Nelson A. Denis does not hold back on tells it how it is and how it relates to Puerto Rico's Political and Economic today. 

I believe this book needs to be studied in Latin America and Caribbean Academic studies in the US. I thank the author for his fantastic work and hope that many readers buy or borrow a copy of Nelson’s compelling book.

by César Omar Sánchez. Community organizer, New York/New Jersey Cuba Si Coalition, Advisory Board Member of ProLibertad: Free All Political Prisoners Campaign.

Radical Imagination, Radical Humanity - In a time of social decay is a must

Photograph of the July 25th El Barrio Freedom March!  The photos were provided by Radhames Morales, of the ProLibertad Advisory Board and Fuerza De la Revolucion Dominicana, and Benjamin Ramos, of ProLibertad.

“Revolutionary Moral”

Our involvement in housing and education is how we first developed a sense of humanity. Our children were part of the organization. In order for us to go to the meetings, somebody had to take care of them. And we would all do that. Without anybody teaching us about the “socialist man and woman,” we started doing it. We did not start out by studying the theory and consciously implementing it. On the contrary, our theory developed through the relationships, the human relationships that evolved day-to-day as we dealt with issues that affected the community. That was not contrary to Marxism; it reaffirmed Marxism. We learned that later on.

 - Federico Lora, former member and founder of El Comité-MINP

    As I sit home on this rainy summer day in August, I became compelled to type and express my admiration of one of many books I read this summer of 2020 during this Global Pandemic. Oh yes, face mask and social distancing has become daily routine and norm for us all, but that does not mean we should shut ourselves away from a good read. One book I found to be insightful, inspirational, and powerful in ways that helped expand my social consciousness even greater was “Radical Imagination, Radical Humanity” by author and activist Rose Muzio.

An almost forgotten history within the LatinX Community of the Puerto Rican’s Political Activism in New York which I believe needs to be told. After reading Muzio’s book it gave me a broader sense of urban LatinX history within the context of social justice activism.

Too many times scholars and historians’ praises high profile political figures and pro-establishment institutions but tend to forget about other powerful grassroots movements that have shaken the US politics apparatus. In the 70s one radical organization that demanded change for a better way living for their community was the Marxist-Leninist radical left organization called El Comité-MINP.

El Comité-MINP (Movimento de Izquierda Nacional Puertorriqueño) was a Puerto Rican National Left Movement that inspired a whole new generation of progressive and left movements in the LatinX community today. I was able to understand the motivations and their commitment to fighting for public housing, education, and of course a FREE Puerto Rico under the grips of the US Empire.

The book tells the huge significant gains El Comité-MINP was able to accomplish but also the difficulties within the organization that ultimately ended on closing the doors to the public. However, their Revolutionary spirit lives on within new organizations inspired by organizations like El Comité-MINP.

I highly recommend this book to those that want to know more about Puerto Rican movements such as El Comité-MINP that no doubt has shed a light on our corrupt political and economic system in the United States.

Where to purchase the book:

https://www.sunypress.edu/p-6333-radical-imagination-radical-hum.aspx

https://www.revolutionbooks.org/book/9781438463544

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/radical-imagination-radical-humanity-rose-muzio/1125050126

https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Imagination-Humanity-Political-Activism/dp/1438463553

by César Omar Sánchez. Community organizer, New York/New Jersey Cuba Si Coalition, Advisory Board Member of ProLibertad: Free All Political Prisoners Campaign.