The Chicago meeting, scheduled to take place as the Militant went to press, was publicized as a celebration of the launching of a new bilingual monthly, Boricua, and the release of the 11 political prisoners. Two of the former prisoners now living in Chicago, Alejandrina Torres and Alberto Rodríguez, are to be "special guests."
Six other Puerto Rican independentistas remain behind bars, and supporters have vowed to take advantage of the initial victory to press the campaign for their release.
The newly released independentistas have been warmly received by many in the Puerto Rican community here. Luis Rosa, who stopped here briefly en route to Puerto Rico, went to a popular local club where he received a standing ovation from other patrons.
The First Congregational Church held a service September 19 to welcome Alejandrina Torres. She told the 100 people attending the service that she intended to continue to work for the independence of Puerto Rico.
The Spanish-language media in Chicago has carried interviews with the freed independence advocates. Alberto Rodríguez told the weekly Exito, "We wish to resolve the problem of Puerto Rico through a process of peace and reconciliation. But we must stop the violence on both sides. I am referring to the presence of the [U.S.] government in Vieques."
Michael Deutsch, one of the lawyers for the former political prisoners, told the press that the conditions announced by parole authorities in Chicago are harsher than those set for those now living in Puerto Rico. U.S. officials here have warned that participation by Alejandrina Torres and Alberto Rodríguez in political events, especially those relating to the fight for Puerto Rico's independence, would be scrutinized and subject to disapproval. "They must meet with their parole officers twice a week," Deutsch stated.
In Puerto Rico, the widespread support for the release of the independentista prisoners has created more space for them to speak out and take part in political activity.
Meanwhile, U.S. capitalist politicians and police officials have continued their strident propaganda campaign to tar the independence fighters as "terrorists" and denounce the Clinton administration's decision to release the 11.
Both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions condemning President Clinton's move. Opponents of Clinton in both houses have clamored for the release of documents related to his decision to issue "pardons," objecting to the fact that he did not heed the opposition by the FBI and other cop agencies.
A House subcommittee held hearings on this matter September 21. In response to testimony that Clinton had freed the 11 Puerto Ricans on condition that they "renounce violence" and accept severe parole terms, committee chairman Daniel Burton could barely contain his bitterness, and racist venom, toward the accomplished fact, declaring, "Is that any reason to let these vermin back on the streets?"
In his testimony, FBI assistant director Neil Gallagher stated, "Do I think they should be out on the street? I think these are criminals, and that they are terrorists, and they represent a threat to the United States."
That day FBI director Louis Freeh released a letter he had sent to Clinton as the president considered releasing the prisoners. Freeh warned the release of the nationalists would "psychologically and operationally enhance" what he called "ongoing violent and criminal activities of Puerto Rican terrorist groups."
Burton's committee has demanded access to all documents related to Clinton's decision. The White House has so far refused the request, invoking executive privilege, offering instead to release 10,000 pages of related documents including thousands of letters asking the president to free the Puerto Rican political prisoners.
At the same time, the U.S. big-business media continues to express bewilderment at what it describes as a "nationalist frenzy" in Puerto Rico, referring to the rise in anticolonial sentiment that has marked politics there over the past year, most recently the outrage over the U.S. Navy's use of Vieques for bombing practice and the campaign to free the 17 political prisoners.
One expression of this sentiment was the massive celebration sparked by the triumph of Puerto Rican boxer Félix "Tito" Trinidad, who defeated Oscar de la Hoya in September 18 to win the welterweight title. The island came to a grinding halt and gave him a hero's welcome September 21, with thousands lining the streets of San Juan waving Puerto Rican flags. "At the grand festivities that paralyzed the country, an attempt was made to place a U.S. flag made of flowers on the stage where the boxer would be honored," New York's Spanish-language El Diario/La Prensa reported. "The thousands of people in the packed crowd prevented this with their boos and protests."
Also noted was the fact that as Trinidad climbed into the ring in Las Vegas, he held up a sign expressing solidarity with the fight to remove the U.S. Navy from Vieques.
Pattie Thompson is a member of the International Association of Machinists.
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