U.S. Capitol shooting incident (1954)

U.S. Capitol shooting incident (1954)
On March 1, 1954four Puerto Rican nationalists entered the capitol, and shot 30 rounds into the hall. The shots wounded five lawmakers ,one seriously wounded. None of the 240 members of congress that was on house floor, was killed. The government body hadn’t been attacked in 150yrs before the incident. The attack was a shocking act of violence on the house. One of the wounded used a tie as tourniquet. In order to stop the bleeding of a leg wound. James Van Zandt, whom was a navy veteran, ran up the stairs and helped capture an assailant.

Lolita Lebron one of the nationalist shooters ,was taken away after the attack. She was quoted as shouting out. “Free Puerto Rico”. Today she still feels no guilt over the incident. She is one of the two nationalists that survived that day. After the two had served 25 years ,in 1979 president Carter freed the nationalists. While the Carter administration denied any connection between the event ,and Fidel Castro. Pertaining to the release of several Americans being held in Cuba. The Americans were being held on espionage charges. After the house considered putting up bulletproof glass. Which have been around the over looking visitors gallery chamber.
References: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/022904/fea_022904040.shtml

The Jayuya Uprising

The Jayuya Uprising

After the events of the Ponce massacre(March 1937) Albizu Camping returned to Puerto Rico. Albizu Camping had served ten years in prison. On June 11, 1948 Jesus T. Pinero, the governor at the time passed a law which made the public avocation of independence unlawful. Albizu Camping gave a speech in Manati in which nationalists for all over Puerto Rico came. They were there to make sure that Manati wouldn’t get arrested. The nationalist party planned an armed revolt from 1949 and 1950. On October 26, 1950 Albizu Camping was holding a meeting when he was informed his house was surrounded. He was also told the police had arrested some of the other nationalist leaders. Albizu call or the revolt to began. October 30, the revolt was staged in Ponce, Mayaguez, Naranjito, Arecibo, Utuado, San Juan, and Jayuya. Armed nationalist were lead into Jayuya, by Canales and the Torresola.

They attacked the police station one officer was killed ,and three got wounded. After word the other office laid down their weapons and surrendered. The nationalist party burned down the towns post office ,and cut the towns telephone lines. Canales raised the light blue version of the Puerto Rican flag ,and gave a speech declaring Puerto Rico a free republic. The nationalist held the town for three days. The U.S. declared marshal law on the island. The Puerto Rican National guard attacked the town by land the U.S. bombed it by plan. Part of the town was destroyed but that wouldn’t be leaked out. It was considered “an incident between Puerto Ricans”. The nationalist leaders were arrested including Albizu Campos and Blanca Canales.

Reference: http://dalowa.com/boricuation/jayuya.html

Ponce Massacre

Ponce massacre

The events preceding march 21, 1937 (Rio Priedras Massacre) lead to the events on that day. There was a large amount of police officers in Ponce. The officers were armed with: rifles, carbines, Thompson sub-machine guns, tear gas bombs, plus the usual police clubs, etc.. The marchers lined up in rows of three, followed by nurses, behind the nurses were a four member band. The band was playing the national anthem La Borinqueña. The peaceful demonstration quickly hostile when governor-general Blanton Winship took the marchers permit. The permit was taken away shortly before the march was suppose to start. When the protesters insisted on using their right march even though their permit had been taken away. When the protestors started to march police surrounded them on all sides ,and were fired on for 15 minutes.

Twenty-one people were killed that day including a seven yr old girl. 200 other were left wounded. People were chased and beaten by the police, as well as taken from hiding and killed. Many of the wounded testified that they were shoot in the back while running away. None of the marchers died or alive were found with any weapons. News of the events spread all over the island. The colonial forces (the U.S.) meant to send a message to every Puerto Rican. “If they dared to stand against the colonial masters to fight for independence, violent repression would await them.” Later on members of the nationalist party was arrested. They were convicted of attempting to shoot the Governor Winship during a military parade.

References:
http://socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=773

Rio Piedras

Rio Piedras Massacre
Albizu Campos was the leader of the Puerto Rican nationalist party. The goal of the party was to achieve independence for Puerto Rico. Albizu Campos insulted the students at the University of Puerto Rico over a radio broadcast in early October. The students arranged a meeting at the university. Police made a claim that they found a conspiracy. They believed the members of the nationalist party was going to use fire arms to break up the party. On October 24, 1935 the Rio Piedras massacre happened. It was a shootout between the local police officers ,and member of the nationalist party. Four members of the party and one police officer was killed. A testimony at the time was said that the police officers fired on the party ,and screamed not to let them leave alive.

In 1936 two members of the nationalist party Hiram Rosado and Elias Beauchamp. Assassinated Colonel Elisha Francis Riggs , who was the superior police officer in the island. Colonel Riggs was viewed as being responsible for the massacre. Hiram Rosado and Elias Beauchamp were executed at the police head quarters without a trial. Albizu Campos was arrested for being a leader fighting for freedom. Under the charges of “seditious conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government in Puerto Rico.”

Reference: http://www.pr-secretfiles.net/timeline_all.html

El Grito de Lares - The first struggle for independence

The First struggle for independence

El Grito de Lares (The Cry of Lares) also known as the Lares revolt. Took place on September 23, 1868 in the town of Lares. It is known as the first and only Puerto Rican revolt. However it wasn’t the first revolt the Tainos revolted in1511,and the African slaves revolted in 1515.On September 13, 1868 between 600-1,000 men revolted for independence. The revolt touched all classes, having all classes rich of poor fighting for independence. The revolt was planed for the 29th but it happened earlier do to a turn coat. The most courageous men met up at Manuel Rojas’s farm. Manuel Rojas was the leader of the revolt.
The group took Lares without resistance, because the Spanish was unaware of the revolt.
The next day the men marched to San Sebastián to meet the Spanish military. Within 24 hours the revolt was squashed. The revolt that took 12yrs of planning was over. Only eight men died in battle. Eighty men would later die in jail from yellow fever. Out of the 551 charged a high majority was from western Puerto Rico. They revolted for reasons concerning poverty, slavery, taxation, and military rule. The revolt did gain something in the end. Spain gave the island the status of a province. Some gain Spanish citizenship, however it was only granted to the criollos. Criollos is a term use in the Spanish colonial casta. A Spanish caste system. A term that referred to a person born in the Spanish colonies, but have pure Spanish blood lines. A year later the abolishment of slavery began. Today the event is remembered as a respected holiday.

References:
http://www.elboricua.com/lares.html
http://www.peacehost.net/PacifistNation/lares.htm

The History Of Puerto Rico

Independence of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a common wealth of the United States today. The island is one whose been long awaiting its independence. The Island hasn’t been under its own rule in over 500yrs. On November 19, 1493 the island was discovered by Christopher Columbus. At the time the island was inhabited by some 50,000 Taino/ Arawak Indians. The inhabitants called the island Borikén name by the Taino Indians. From the time Columbus landed on the island its people would no longer be free. Not long after the Spanish landed on Puerto Rico. slaves were imported. The language was changed to Spanish. The people in this island like a lot of the Americas would suffer a lot of hardships.

Puerto Rico is an island who has been long desiring freedom. Initially the Spanish took the islands independence. On July 15, 1898 during the Spanish American war the island was surrounded by American troops. At the end of the war the Spanish ceded Puerto Rico to the United States. Under the rule of the U.S. the people of the island would gain some freedoms. They would gain the rights from the constitution freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly. Eventually Puerto Ricans would be allowed citizenship. This was under the Jones Act although citizenship was not guaranteed. However they wouldn’t gain independence. The people still suffered a lot of hardships under the rule of the U.S.. Some of the hardships including , sterilization/ “extermination”, the island of Vieques would get bombed during arms testing.
References:
http://welcome.topuertorico.org/history.shtml