We are 13 days away from our march and rally. On almost no money, all volunteer labor, and supporters far and wide who have donated dollars and time to bring this event about we are here. 

 

 

Help us bring him one step closer to freedom by donating generously.

Mail checks to (and write May 30th Coalition in the memo):

El escritor y miembro de la Junta Editorial de El Nuevo Día, Ángel Darío Carrero, falleció hoy en Puerto Rico tras una dura batalla contra el cáncer. Tenía 49 años de edad. 

El padre Darío, como se le conocía al sacerdote franciscano, fue un hombre de muchos sombreros: escritor, poeta, crítico literario, antólogo, teólogo, profesor y periodista cultural. Su voz independiente siempre se hizo sentir con fuerza en el ámbito cultural, social y político del país. Fue defensor de las causas justas e intelectual de primer orden, quien siempre trabajó por el bienestar de su país y su gente. 

Carrero fue una figura clave en el proceso de desobediencia civil que redundó en la salida de la Marina de los Estados Unidos de la isla municipio de Vieques, abogó por la liberación de los presos políticos puertorriqueños, en especial por la de Oscar López Rivera, levantó su voz en contra de las enmiendas constitucionales para eliminar el derecho absoluto a la fianza y se expresó a favor de la equidad en materia de derechos civiles.

Dentro de esta historia de los Cincos Cubanos, hay una riqueza de experiencias y lecciones que son emblemáticas de las grandes luchas de nuestra humanidad. El sentido del deber que ha guiado a cada uno de ellos les ha dado la fuerza de resistir bajo condiciones insufribles. El hilo que los mantuvo fuerte, con claridad de mente y corazon lleno, siempre fue el apoyo incondicional de sus mujeres, familias, madres, hermanas, hijos, hijas y amigos alrededor del mundo. Nunca estaban solos, ni siquiera durante los 17 meses que estuvieron sometidos en prisión a la tormenta solitaria e inhumana del "hueco." Como me dijo Antonio, nunca estaban presos realmente. "Cada noche al acostar mi cabeza en la almohada sabiendo que había cumplido con el deber, sabía que era libre."

Continuo.

Estimados amigos:

Estamos constituyendo un Comite Pro Liberacion de Oscar Lopez Rivera,

en la Republica de Panama.

Este Comite estara dirigido por la sociologa Briseida Berrante, reconocida

activista y luchadora por los derechos humanos.

La Cumbre de los Pueblos, celebrada recientemente en la Universidad de Panama,

con la asistencia de mas de 3,500 delegados reclamo mediante resolucion

unanime la libertad de Oscar Lopez Rivera.

Este compromiso es parte de esa resolucion.

 

Le agradecere me envien toda la informacion posible sobre Oscar, para hacerle

llegar un "paquetito" a Panama lo mas pronto posible.

Somos expresión de la juventud de la clase trabajadora, la parte más atacada en el mundo, quienes en varios de los países somos numéricamente la mayoría poblacional que integramos cada una de nuestras naciones. Somos las y los jóvenes del mundo, queremos vivir dignamente, luchar y ser felices. Somos quienes asumimos el compromiso de una completa transformación social, que como parte de la historia presente ha logrado rescatar la memoria de las luchas anteriores y que buscamos ser consecuentes para poder dejar futuro donde puedan vivir las generaciones que están por venir. 

En este sentido, nos reunimos 36 movimientos populares de juventud, de 24 países, de 4 continentes (África, América, Asia y Europa) para encontramos el 3, 4 y 5 de mayo de 2015 en la Escuela Nacional Florestan Fernandes (ENFF) en Sao Paulo, Brasil; con la finalidad de hacer un esfuerzo por reconocernos como la parte mayormente golpeada, al tiempo de ubicar cuáles son nuestros enemigos y banderas de lucha comunes, además de plantear un piso de partida para continuar con este esfuerzo de construcción hacia una articulación internacionalista, antiimperialista, anti-colonialista, anti-neoliberal y anti-patriarcal. 

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center and National Boricua Human Rights Network wish Mario Torres, brother of Alejandro Torres, a rapid and complete recovery from his stroke.

On Sunday, May 17th, 33 churches of interdenominational faith came together for a special gathering at the Bronx Spanish Evangelical Church to demand the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, who has been behind bars for 33 years. In addition to a moving sermon by Congregational Church of South Hempstead United Church of Christ Minister Reginald Brantley, Oscar's daughter Clarisa López also addressed the audience with an impassioned plea to join her family and thousands of supporters as they march through Harlem and East Harlem on May 30th.

On Thursday, May 14, 2015, over 50 students, faculty and activists gather to listen to Suzanne Adely, Joe Catron, Brooke Reynolds and Alejandro L. Molina speak at a event sponsored by the Students for Justice in Palestine-Hunter College Chapter, operated by Michael Bellamy. Lamis Deek was unable to make it at the last minute. Rasmea Odeh, the Palestinian activist who is currently the object of an attack by the US government, sent a video greeting to the gathering. View here.

 

Suzanne began the panel by speaking on the distinct variations of the workers and human rights struggles as compared with Palestine, giving notable examples. Joe Catron followed up with an information filled slideshow on detainees, physical abuse, political prisoners and torture citing first hand reports on the process of arrest to abuse to outright torture.

 

Brooke Reynolds, representing Jericho Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in the US, spoke movingly of Jalil Muntaquim, a former Black Panther activist who has spent 42 years in prison, maintaining his commitment to Black liberation. Brooke spoke of her visits to Jalil and urged those present to visit also as part of their self-education.

 

Alejandro led by reading a piece of prose by Ghassan Kanafani, a Palestinian author and poet assassinated in 1972, on the concept of diaspora and homeland, referencing the Puerto Rican diaspora. Speaking on the Campaign to Free Oscar López Rivera, Alejandro referenced earlier campaigns to free Puerto Rican political prisoners, beginning with the Five Puerto Rican Nationalists to the present and the success of the broad movement(s) that have come together as a coalition to demand their freedom. He also expanded on the concept of solidarity at specific points in the development of our campaigns, and called for all present to come out with friends, family and loved ones to the May 30th March and Rally for Oscar López Rivera.

Today, April 17, the United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) joins our people and supporters across the world in calling for international solidarity on Palestinian Prisoners' Day. As noted by the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, every year since 1974 we commemorate the liberation of Mahmoud Hijazi, the first Palestinian political prisoner freed in an exchange negotiated by the Palestinian resistance. We come together on this day to demand freedom for all Palestinian prisoners held in the prisons of both the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Since the Nakba and the establishment of the settler-colonial, apartheid state of Israel, over one million Palestinians have been imprisoned, 850,000 between the 1967 occupation and the present. Right now, close to 6,500 Palestinian political prisoners are in Israeli jails. Two hundred of these prisoners are children, 24 women, and 14 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council; and at least 500 are being held under administrative detention without charge or trial.

The issue of political prisoners is the most fundamental in all national liberation struggles. We remember and honor Bobby Sands and the other H-Block prisoners from the North of Ireland, and the legendary Nelson Mandela and Robben Island prisoners of South Africa's anti-Apartheid movement. We also call for the release of important prisoners right here in the U.S.-the last of the Puerto Rican independentistas still in jail after close to 34 years, Oscar Lopez; American Indian Movement icon Leonard Peltier; our brother Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose life is in jeopardy because of purposeful medical neglect by the U.S. government; and dozens of other mostly Black Liberation activists and organizers, some imprisoned since the 1960s.

Rita Moreno será la Gran Mariscal, mientras que el cantante Víctor Manuelle será el rey del Desfile

La junta directiva del Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño anunció la lista de personalidades que participarán en la edición 58 del multitudinario evento, que una vez más se tomará la Quinta Avenida el próximo 14 de junio.

La reconocida actriz Rita Moreno, ganadora de numerosos premios, entre ellos un Oscar, fue nombrada como la Gran Mariscal, mientras que el cantante Víctor Manuelle, será el rey del Desfile, según lo anunció este lunes la presidenta de la junta directiva Lorraine Cortés-Vásquez.El desfile mantendrá el lema "Un Pueblo Muchas Voces" al que se le ha agregado el tema especial conmemorativo "Celebrando la Herencia Afro-Antillana", que coincide con la designación por parte de las Naciones Unidas de los próximos 10 años como "La Década Internacional de los Afrodescendientes".El actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, protagonista y creador del musical de Broadway "Hamilton",  recibirá el reconocimiento "Nuestro Orgullo" por su aportación al teatro musical.Además se honrará a la legendaria cantante de ópera Martina Arroyo, a la doctora Marta Moreno Vega, fundadora del Centro Cultural del Caribe y el Instituto de la Diáspora Africana, a la novelista y educadora Mayra Santos-Febres, al músico y compositor Cuco Peña, al pintor Carmelo Sobrino y al director de orquesta, músico y compositor Miguel Zenón.Se darán además homenajes póstumos al historiador, autor y activista Arturo Schomberg y a la coreógrafa, actriz y activista Sylvia del Villard.De acuerdo a Cortés-Vásquez, en la iniciativa de educación para este año se otorgarán 32 becas, además que "se tiene como meta para 2017, conceder un total de 100 becas estudiantiles".La presidenta del Concejo Municipal Melissa Mark-Viverito, que participó en el acto para anunciar la lista de personalidades, recordó que una vez más se pedirá la libertad deOscar Lopez Rivera. "Como padre y activista, 33 años en prisión son más que suficientes, por eso haremos un pedido para su libertad", dijo la funcionaria.

Speech for Oscar López Rivera for Commemorative Events on the 50th Anniversary of Albizu Campos' Death, April 21-26, 2015 in New York City

Estimadas y estimados,

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you all one of the most important issues in our community and in our times.

In 1999, eleven Puerto Ricans triumphantly returned to their families, communities, and homeland after two decades of politically based captivity. I was proudly one of those individuals-a political prisoner charged with "seditious conspiracy" and sentenced to live and die in a U.S. prison. The story of the struggle to free us is one that has been barely told and hopefully one day it will, in all of its pain and victory. But today I want to focus on another revolutionary banished to die in prison for his faith in the Puerto Rican nation-Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos-and to remind you of our collective responsibility to fight for the freedom of another patriot held in bondage.

Fifty-years ago today, one of Puerto Rico's more revered and outspoken men died, in his home, after spending more than a decade in a tortuous prison. In total, he spent nearly twenty-five years of his seventy-four years of life as a captured bird in the U.S. government's prison system. And what was his crime? The same crime committed by political figures that today are openly celebrated and praised, like Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned by the South African government also for "seditious conspiracy." Mandela, as we know, fought to bring an end to South Africa's racist, apartheid structure. For Albizu Campos, it was the U.S. occupation of the island that he sought to overturn. It was even illegal to fly the Puerto Rican flag.

On Thursday May 7, a posthumous memorial and celebration of the life of Josefina Rodríguez Vélez Lamberti was held at the Ramón Frade Auditorium of the University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus. Josefina Rodriguez was an activist in the struggle for the independence of Puerto Rico, and mother of two of our ex political prisoners, Idaluz and Alicia Rodríguez.

Fifo, Irma Romero and Alejandrina Torres at the Puerto Rican Poeples Parade in Chicago

 

The event was beautiful. the stage was filled to bursting with artists and activists who had known Josefina, who arrived to offer their art and testimony in recognition of her value and contributions to the Puerto Rican independence movement, as well as the Puerto Rican Community in Chicago.

 

Roy Brown, the folk music group Mapeyé, Grisél Ramírez, Juan González and the group Alhambre Dulce were among the artists who participated in the event. Ex political prisoners Idaluz and Alicia Rodríguez, as well as their sister Evelyn addressed the audience and thanked those present for the love they had shown their mother. They spoke of the sense of balance that Josefina always managed to maintain in her life; a sense of balance which enabled her to raise and nurture her children, instill in them values of dignity and pride in their culture and nation, as she addressed the needs of the struggle for her country's freedom. Ida Luz observed that Josefina never sought the recognition of others, nor to be looked upon as the main protagonist in any situation, but simply to give whatever her people's struggle required.

 

Idaluz's observation was echoed by everyone else who discussed their experiences with Josefina. Ex-political prisoner Alberto Rodríguez, imprisoned on the charge of "seditious conspiracy" to overthrow the u.s. "government" in Puerto Rico, spoke of Josefina's calm and gentle demeanor, of her humility, and of the nerves of steel she demonstrated as she confronted a group of american racists who tried to attack a demonstration of Puerto Ricans against police brutality.

 

Ex-political prisoner Raymond Soto, jailed for his refusal to co-operate with federal grand juries bent on investigating the Puerto Rican independence movement, spoke of Josefina's immense solidarity. He observed that though she had two daughters of her own who were imprisoned and needed her attention, she managed to find time to travel to New York on September 23, 1983 to receive him when he was released from prison.

 

Many of those present spoke of her travels through Central and South America, where she made others aware of the plight of our political prisoners, as she in tern showed her empathy and solidarity with those who'd been tortured, disappeared and imprisoned in the region.

 

Excerpts of the book she wrote were read. The book concerned her experiences in Chicago -- her personal experiences, as well as her experiences in the struggle for Puerto Rico's independence.

 

Rest in peace Josefina. We value you, miss you, and will always remember you.

Secaucus, N.J. - The United National Antiwar Coalition held its fourth national gathering in Secaucus, N.J., May 8-10 under the theme "Stop the Wars at Home and Abroad." Over 400 delegates from the U.S. and Canada took on the task of challenging endless U.S. imperialist wars abroad and the increasing militarization of domestic police from Ferguson, Mo., to Baltimore.

This conference was unique in the history of the U.S. anti-war movement, which has never before so clearly taken up the need to oppose the war waged against oppressed communities in the U.S. Support for the resistance of Black and Brown youth who are standing up to an epidemic of police brutality was a central theme of many panels and workshops. Solidarity messages came from Ukraine, Canada, Cuba, Germany and Britain.

Formed in 2010, UNAC has become the largest anti-war coalition in the U.S. today, with nearly 120 member organizations opposing U.S. wars in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. UNAC co-coordinators are lifelong anti-war and labor activist Joe Lombardo and social justice activist Marilyn Levin.

National Boricua Human Rights Network in Chicago is taking 100 people to the New York 'March to Bring Oscar López Rivera Home' on May 30th.

Marchers will be demanding the release of Oscar. Now age 72, he is the longest-held political prisoner in Puerto Rican history. He was charged with seditious conspiracy - the same charge for which Nelson Mandela was imprisoned - for his participation in Puerto Rico's independence movement. He was never accused of hurting anyone or participating in any violent crime; only of fighting for his country to be free.

The funding raised here will go toward renting a 55 passenger coach bus to transport supporters from Chicago to New York City. Continue reading.

On May 16, "El Jibaro" Andres Jimenez, Eduardo Villanueva, and Yesenia Cruz performed at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx. Assemblyman Jose Rivera, Profesora Ana Lopez, and other members of the national campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera were also on hand to award Andres Jimenez with a portrait of Don Pedro Albizu Campos created by Oscar and gather petition signatures from concertgoers calling for his immediate release.

The Water's Edge would like to congratulate poet, writer & social media guru Gabriel José Maldonado on his graduation day with a message for everyone: Free Oscar López Rivera Now!

On Sunday, May 17, 2015, Rev. Dr. Samuel Cruz from the Trinity Lutheran Church in Brooklyn and Alejandro L. Molina of the May 30th Coalition March and Rally for the Free of Oscar López Rivera were hosted by Franklin Simpson at Radio Vision Radio Station in Paterson, New Jersey. Rev. Cruz spoke movingly of the faith based initiative to support Oscar and the campaign to bring him home before Obama leaves office in 2017. He mentioned that he had just come from the 33 Churches for Oscar event where over 150 people were present, mostly ministers to join in the clamor or Oscar's release. Alejandro spoke of the NYC May 30th March and Rally for Oscar, the major event this year in the US for Oscar's release, and left contact details for more information and to get involved. 

NYC-based artist Jesús Mangual has carved a bust of Oscar López Rivera and will donate part of the proceeds to the May 30th Mobilization and Rally to Free Oscar López Rivera. Jesus has also committed to a donation of $500 to support our May 30th efforts. The raffle drawing will be held the date of the Puerto Rican parade, June 14th at Camaradas Bar, 2241 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10029. For raffle tickets, please contact him at: libresoy1898@gmail.com

Llevamos a Oscar de paseo para ensayar lo que será su sueño convertido en realidad. Lo llevamos a ver el mar.

El preso político puertorriqueño Oscar López Rivera, dentro de un mes cumple 34 años en cárceles estadounidenses.

El alcalde de Peñuelas, Walter Torres Maldonado, se unió hoy al reclamo  en favor de la excarcelación del preso político puertorriqueño Oscar López Rivera, quien dentro de un mes cumple 34 años en cárceles estadounidenses. 

Torres Maldonado recibió a los integrantes del Comité Pro derechos Humanos de Puerto Rico que visitaron su municipio durante la marcha convocada en reclamo nacional por la excarcelación del prisionero político.

El alcalde hizo un llamado a favor de la solicitud de clemencia ejecutiva del prisionero, de 73 años.

 "Marchamos en favor del reclamo de excarcelación de Oscar López Rivera, quien en 1980 fue sentenciado a 78 años de prisión federal y lleva 33 años confinado en cárceles federales norteamericanas", dijo Torres Maldonado.

El preso político fue condenado por el delito de conspiración sediciosa para derrocar o destruir por la fuerza al gobierno norteamericano.

Además, se le vinculó siempre con el grupo clandestino Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional.

Torres Maldonado se unió a los esfuerzos en favor de que se ponga de manifiesto las condiciones en las que ha vivido encerrado por los pasados 33 años. Sostuvo que el 29 de mayo, López Rivera cumplirá 408 meses en celdas norteamericanas.

"Mi llamado es en favor de una clemencia ejecutiva a favor de la liberación de Oscar López Rivera. Nos unimos, una vez más, al reclamo al presidente norteamericano Barack Obama para  su excarcelación",  agregó Torres Maldonado.

Será una muestra de arte enmarcada en la solidaridad. Y lo harán en medio de la calle con música, tablones de madera, pintura al óleo y aerosol.

Esta será la propuesta que presentará la docena de artistas urbanos que unirá su talento al reclamo nacional por la excarcelación del prisionero político Oscar López Rivera, el jueves, 7 de mayo a las 7:00 de la noche en la calle Isabel.

Estos virtuosos pertenecen a la Fundación Enlaces Urbanos, los mismos que cada primer jueves de mes transforman la concurrida vía en una improvisada sala de arte.

"Esa noche los artistas pintarán en vivo inspirados en la temática de Oscar López Rivera", adelantó Iraida Muñiz Martínez, coordinadora del proyecto.

José Ángel Vega, Miguel Peña, Kevin Ramos, Kurt Waldemar Garmendía, Ángel Gelpí, Luis A. Mojica, Arnaldo Marcano y Félix Rivera son algunos de los talentos que expondrán su arte en el evento.

De esta manera, extenderán la labor educativa impulsada por el grupo "33 en 33 Por Oscar", colectivo que estará en Ponce durante ese día para la "Segunda Caminata Nacional Por Oscar".

El destacado jurista español Baltasar Garzón Real inauguró esta semana un foro internacional para discutir el principio de la jurisdicción universal como instrumento en la lucha contra la impunidad en los crímenes de derechos humanos, que tuvo sede en la Universidad de Puerto Rico, recinto de Río Piedras (UPR-RP).

"El principio de jurisdicción universal significa que determinados crímenes internacionales no pueden ni deben quedar impunes", declaró Garzón durante la apertura de la jornada de tres días, auspiciada por la UPR, la Fundación Internacional Baltasar Garzón (FIBGAR) y la Fundación Francisco Carvajal.

El principio de jurisdicción universal se refiere a la capacidad de un estado de juzgar determinados crímenes de gravedad cometidos en otro territorio. Garzón, pionero en la aplicación de este principio en España, en su capacidad como juez promovió la formulación de cargos contra los responsables de las dictaduras en Argentina y Chile, muy notablemente, una orden de arresto contra el dictador chileno Augusto Pinochet.

Con el voto unánime de su Asamblea Anual, la Sección de Puerto Rico de Amnistía Internacional (AIPR) se propone pedir a la dirección internacional de esa organización que desarrolle una campaña mundial de cartas pidiendo la excarcelación de Oscar López Rivera. El que Amnistía Internacional tome la causa de López Rivera implica la integración a esa lucha por su excarcelación de sobre 3 millones de activistas en 150 países. Amnistía Internacional es una de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro más importante a nivel global que trabaja para el reconocimiento y la preservación de los derechos humanos reconocidos en la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos aprobada en el 1948.

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