I am interested to hear your comments about this internationally overshadowed social justice struggle in my island. The assassination of Ojeda Rios by the FBI was one of our most painful tragedies and one more case of the historical FBI illegal persecution against leaders and members of the independence movement.
Have you heard about this? If not, blame the media for not letting you know that this country still holds a colony and has never ever been held accountable for it! Hope to read some comments.
The video begins with Filiberto Ojeda Rios talking in Spanish and the rest of the video is in English.
So, in general, I’m commenting publicly on this only because you asked me to do so, primita querrida. To those of you reading this who don’t know me, I’m Cristina’s cousin. I am half Puerto Rican and all American.
First of all, of course it is unfortunate that there was a human casualty here. On the other hand, I don’t agree with the Independentista movement on my island. I think in general the philosophy and idealism behind the movement does not benefit the people as a whole. Most of the people on the island, historically have agreed with my point of view.
Unfortunately, the U.S. government has taken some extreme measures against the politcal movement because historically there have been some radical and even violent people who claim to be involved in the movement. Including the “macheteros” who committed various terrorist acts in the 80s and 90s that killed or planned to create physical harm and psychological terror to the masses. I don’t agree with these tactics in ANY movement ANYWHERE. There are small organizations even today that the FBI fights regularly that are based in the Independentista movement that still plan such attacks. One just as recently as 2006 in NY, called the Boricua Popular Army, who planned to use bombs to attack privately owned businesses and civilians in P.R.
As for Filiberto Ojeda Rios, I honestly don’t know anything about him. I will read more on it now, but what was presented here in this video was obviously only one side of the issue and meant to be a rallying cry for the movement.
I want to also be clear that I am not saying that everyone who is involved in the Independentista movement in P.R. is a terrorist, because that would be completely irresponsible and untrue. As a matter of fact, I believe most of us simply want justice and most of the people who are affiliated with the Independentista movement are attracted to the philosophy behind it and feel like they were wrongly colonized by the U.S. Most of them are good people, who believe in the real meaning behind the cause. But let’s be honest, the island was more brutally conquered by the Spanards before the U.S. And life in P.R. overall is a healthy and vibrant island that in my opinion has been successful because of it’s affiliation with the U.S.
It’s ok. I did ask people to comment, of course publicly, mostly to create awareness, but not really with the intention to start a debate of whether PR is a colony or whether we are better off with or without this “affiliation” with the US.
The human right to be free as a nation is not debatable. And that’s my main intention when I talk about Puerto Rico to Americans that don’t understand how PR became a territory of the US and in all sense of the word functions as a colony, even thought is not recognized as such internationally.
The video presents footage that would NEVER be allowed in the island mainstream media. And yes is a cry, but for justice and for the basic human right to be free as a nation. The same way your country fought for its freedom.
To address your comment then, I would have to back up a bit and give some context to your arguments.
First of all, the murder of Ojeda Rios was NOT a human casualty it was another premeditated murder by the FBI against the movement (As if the FBI didn’t have a proven record of persecution against resistance movements.)
When you say “the ‘macheteros’ [Boricua Popular Army] who committed various terrorist acts in the 80s and 90s that killed or planned to create physical harm and psychological terror to the masses” (that is Bush’s job), are you also referring to what led to the massacre of two young members of the independentista movement in el cerro maravilla in 1978? When the current governor, Romero Barceló, was found to be the intellectual leader of this event in conjunction with the police and then attempted to unsuccessfully cover up the evidence??? That’s just one more example of the persecution against the movement and the attempt to physically eliminate the movement.
I do not agree either with violent tactics, as person and in my activist work. The Macheteros and the independetista movement is a movement of resistance driven by a strong love for our culture, our language and our nation. And even though I could disagree with some of their tactics, I do agree with the passion that drives their (our) movement.
By definition to be a colony is antidemocratic and it means that we are dependent of the metropolis up to the bone, including our Puerto Rican psychology. Then, who would find odd that the majority have a deeply rooted fear of sovereignty? It’s the syndrome of the slave. Approximately 70% of the population depends on the federal “help”. And I say “help” because the US has taken from us more than what has invested. Not to mention the damage to our identity and the sense of inferiority that emerged as a result.
In regards of your comparison under the Spaniards, lets get some facts straight. When the US invaded Puerto Rico and turned it into a boot camp, we were in the process of obtaining more political and economic autonomy under the Spanish (this is not to be mentioned in our history books, of course. The same way the Native American genocide is never part of the history of the United States). Are we trying to fool ourselves here… At this point in time we all know that these events are to be kept out of our knowledge. That’s how you keep the PEOPLE quiet. By giving an education that’s designed to keep the PEOPLE subjugated. To reveal these facts in history books or in the media would mean to have masses revolt against a government (US) that has raped us in every sense of the word.
The life in PR is “healthy and vibrant” for some. I would say for the privileged ones. I don’t consider “healthy and vibrant” the fact that my country is constantly bombarded by US chains and gigantic malls all over the island eliminating small local businesses, or that we assimilated to the rampant consumerism of the US, which has proven to be so unsustainable. Is that what development looks like to you?
We are not debating whether we are a colony or not. Many decades have passed since we became a “Commonwealth.” And it is very difficult, if not impossible, for supporters of such status to defend it and argue the opposite.
I appreciate your comments as it gave me the chance to break many of the immediate impressions that many people get when they visit the island.
You may be interested in FBI Files on Puerto Ricans: http://www.pr-secretfiles.net/index.html
wow – I just scanned the video – I’d never heard of the event, I’m
shocked that it’s so recent and that it got no mainstream media.
it’s outrageous that this kind of atrocity is committed by the US govt that promotes itself as standing for democracy. what happened to freedom of speech and due process of law? HA. The govt seems to have forgotten that these are cornerstones of true democracy. or maybe it didnt forget…I’m so naive, I’m still shocked by these things… thanks for posting that!
In general I don’t mind expressing my opinion because I live in the land of the free, home of the brave… the great United States of America. USA where free speech is allowed, or did that change with the PATRIOT ACT?
So, my point was that this wonderful country whose King, I mean President the notoriously brilliant George W has always find a way to let the world know that their regime should be emulated by other countries at any cost. At the moment we are living the war of Iraq were more than 4,000 casualties of American soldiers have occurred and countless others Iraqis have died; but who cares right? They are not American, nevertheless ALL AMERICANS.
But Iraq’s war is in just a taste of what this just country can do; a look at the past can lead us to Augusto Pinochet who subsidized and trained by the U.S. of America overthrew Chile’s genuinely elected President Salvador Allende, who was ambushed and assassinated in the Presidential Palace because he believed in a Socialist government for his country. Or perhaps we can take a look towards Panama whose dictator, Manuel Noriega was under CIA payroll for more than 30 years. Manuel Noriega, serve as a facilitator to break the Panama Canal treaties. Later under suspicion from the US that he was serving as double informant was sentence to prison for drugs and racketeering charges. In general, the ambush and assassination of Mr. Ojeda should come as no surprise. Filiberto Ojeda, like any other citizen was innocent until proven guilty; guess that W didn’t get that memo. Like is customary the US invades someone’s home and took over. Filiberto Ojeda bled to death and it was no casualty; casualties are the thousands of young soldiers who die daily and all orphans, mothers and fathers that are left behind.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am 100% PUERTORICAN and by any means do I condone these acts of violence specially when performed against one of my own. To all of you that defend these acts of deliberate violence on your all American minds your hands are full of blood, and your closet full of skeletons.
Hi Cristina
Wow that is interesting- and schocking. I have never heard of a Puerto Rican independence movement or the need to have one. Well, I am not surprised since I guess I as a Dane live too far away for it to make it to the news. The relevance criteria of it being too remote a region I guess plays a dominant role here. In fact, we don’t get much news about Latin or South American politics here. Thanks for making me aware of this issue.
Mette
Hi Cristina, Hi everyone,
I’m not going to rant about the media again. For those who don’t know me, just know that I devote half my time denouncing corporate media… If you wanna know more about it check out Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky.
On to the underlying debate here, the existence of an independent movement in Puerto Rico. For one thing, if Puerto Rico was truly American there wouldn’t be an independent movement. There might be an independent movement in California (yeah! let’s get rid of all these people from Oregon!) but if it ever becomes remotely famous I’m sure it’ll be widely ridiculed. That’s because people in CA, or in other states don’t really think about where they are. They are in CA AND in the US. Period.
I’ve been to Puerto Rico once (Thanks Cris for having me!). That was back in 2001. It was astonishing to see that even though I was on ‘official’ US soil, I was not in a ’state’ like say Virginia or Ohio (or even Alaska). I mean, the ‘props’ were all American, but the people, the food, the culture… It was not America. In Europe you kinda have the same pattern in some places. I lived in Holland for a year and it sometimes felt like there was a superficial layer of Americana hanging over us. But all in all it wasn’t really American. ‘f course in Holland it doesn’t really matter. The NL is a sovereign state so… big deal!
In PR though it is a big deal. One thing that shocked me while there, was the fact that depending on what people believe they display different flags. the PR flag for independistas, Ole Glory for pro-States and both if they’re for the status quo. From conversations it also seemed that pro-state people usually leaned toward the Republican party and pro-status-quo leaned toward the Dems. May not be that simple. But that might be a key to understand how Puerto-Ricans channel their political biases and frame them.
I agree PR is ‘vibrant’ and rich. Some may ask if it ain’t broke why fix it. I understand. On the other hand, wealth, the props, that may all be a way to escape from something. From confronting something far more important like identity. Coz right now loads of people both in and out of PR wanna make it look like Puerto Ricans are happy with not making a choice. Can you be Puerto Rican and American? Sure, but there’s gotta be some work done, and efforts have to be made mainly on the part of the Federal government which it seems denies that PR is a colony (I’m dreaming here. It’s like the whole thing is part of a larger scheme, in which Latin America as a whole is the US’ backyard – the tide is turning though). What Puerto Ricans have to do is decide whether they want to continue being spoiled but dependent or if they wanna head in one direction or another. I’d say that PR deserves a shot at being an independent nation. Right this second, Americans are up in arms coz Russia has invaded Georgia. Maybe a look south of Florida would hand us a mirror.
reminds me of this: