The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.62/No.9           March 9, 1998 
 
 
Puerto Rican Independence Fighter Welcomed On Release  

BY PETE SEIDMAN
PHILADELPHIA - A jubilant crowd of 80 people welcomed freed Puerto Rican political prisoner Antonio Camacho at a rally here February 14. Camacho had just been released on parole from the Federal Penitentiary at White Deer, Pennsylvania, after serving 10 years of a 15-year sentence.

Camacho was arrested in Puerto Rico by U.S. cops on March 21, 1986. He was one of 15 fighters for Puerto Rican independence convicted in connection to the 1982 robbery of $7 million from Wells Fargo in Hartford, Connecticut. Most of them were arrested during massive FBI sweep in Puerto Rico on Aug. 30, 1985. Since then, a growing number of individuals and organizations have joined the call for their release.

Entering the meeting hall to chants of "!Camacho, seguro, a los yanquis dales duro!" (Camacho, for sure, hit the Yankees hard!), the freed independence fighter called for continuing the struggle to win freedom for Puerto Rico. "I've been absent for 10 years," he said, "but it's been 10 years of preparation and education for the struggle."

The rally, held at the ASPIRA center in the Puerto Rican community in North Philadelphia, was sponsored by the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. Speakers included National Committee leader Luis Sanabria; Carlos Santos, an Episcopal priest; poet Julia López; and Connie Allen, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Congress in the First Congressional District.

Sanabria introduced Camacho's family as well as a delegation of supporters from New York and another delegation that would be escorting Camacho to Puerto Rico the next day. He also read a support message from a group of three Puerto Rican political prisoners in Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary.

Sanabria called for building a national march on Washington on July 25 in support of Puerto Rican self- determination. He announced that well-known independence fighter Lolita Lebrón would be speaking at a rally here in April to build the march.

Allen said she was honored to be among those welcoming Camacho back to the struggle outside prison walls and offered the socialist campaign's vigorous support to the fight to win the release of all the remaining Puerto Rican political prisoners. Allen pointed to the pressing need to explain the truth about the U.S. moves to war against Iraq. Opposing imperialism and its wars today, she said, is the task for those celebrating the anniversary of 100 years of struggle against U.S. imperialism in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.  
 
 
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