[Ppnews] Torture of Machetero denounced

[Political Prisoner News]

English translation follows Spanish

Denuncian tortura a machetero
MINH alega que el "trato distinto" que recibe 
Gonzalez Claudio tiene el proposito de "ablandarlo".
Por The Associated Press

11 febrero 2008 El Nuevo Dia
http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/seguridad/noticias/denuncian_tortura_a_machetero/361230

SAN JUAN - El copresidente del Movimiento 
Independentista Nacional Hostosiano (MINH), 
Hector Pesquera, denuncia hoy que el preso 
federal Avelino Gonzalez Claudio, vinculado con 
el grupo clandestino los Macheteros, 
supuestamente esta siendo torturado en el centro 
de detencian federal en Guaynabo donde esta 
confinado desde que fue arrestado el miercoles.

"Tenemos informacian de que ya comenzaron a 
torturarlo tapiandole las ventanas para que no 
sepa cuando es de dia o cuando es de noche", dijo 
Pesquera en entrevista radial (WSKN).

Pesquera, medico de profesion, dijo que el 
supuesto "trato distinto" que recibe Gonzalez 
Claudio en la carcel tendria el proposito de 
"ablandarlo, irle quebrando la voluntad".

Cuestionado sobre el asunto, el gobernador Anabal 
Acevedo Vila dijo que cualquier alegacion de 
maltrato debe ser elevada a los mas altos niveles 
de la jurisdiccion federal por los abogados de 
Gonzalez Claudio "inmediatamente".

No obstante, dijo que en Puerto Rico "nadie puede 
tapar el cielo con la mano, aqua historicamente 
las autoridades federales y estatales... la forma 
en que trataban a los independentistas era muy 
diferente a la que trataban a otros ciudadanos".

De inmediato, Migdalia Torres, oficial de 
informacion publica de la carcel federal en 
Guaynabo dijo que no tenia informacion sobre las 
alegaciones de Pesquera, pero prometio indagar y 
comunicarse nuevamente con Prensa Asociada.

"Acabo de llegar, no tengo informacion", dijo Torres.

Pesquera, por su parte, destaca que Gonzalez 
Claudio, mientras estuvo clandestino durante 22 
anos, fue maestro de ciencias de computadoras del 
masico y comediante Silverio Perez y de un 
presidente del Tribunal Supremo a quien no pudo identificar.

"Sabemos que Avelino Gonzalez Claudio, durante su 
vida bajo otro nombre, fue una persona muy 
productiva para el Pais", dijo Pesquera.

Sobre el proceso judicial que continua esta 
tarde, Pesquera dijo que Gonzalez Claudio no 
reconocera la jurisdiccion del tribunal federal para extraditarlo.

"Va a solicitar que se le juzgue aqua, en Puerto Rico", dijo Pesquera.

"Que se le juzgue en su tierra, cualquier otra cosa seria secuestro", agrega.

Gonzalez Claudio tiene hoy una vista de 
identificacion antes de ser extraditado a 
Hartford, Connecticut en donde enfrenta cargos de 
robo a banco, entre otros relacionados con el 
robo de $7 millones de un deposito de la Wells 
Fargo en esa ciudad en septiembre de 1982.

Por ese robo se responsabilizo la organizacion clandestina los Macheteros.

El 30 de agosto de 1985 el Negociado Federal de 
Investigaciones (FBI, por sus siglas en ingles) 
arresto a 11 de 17 personas relacionadas con la 
organizacion clandestina que se responsabiliza 
por las muertes de dos marinos de la Base Naval 
de Sabana Seca y la de un policia, además de la 
destruccion de nueve aviones de la Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico.

******************************************************************************

Torture of Machetero denounced
MINH alleges that the "different treatment" 
GonzÃalez Claudio is receiving is intended to "soften" him.

By The Associated Press
February 11, 2008 El Nuevo Dia
http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/seguridad/noticias/denuncian_tortura_a_machetero/361230

SAN JUAN - The co-chair of the National Hostos 
Independence Movement, (MINH), Hector Pesquera, 
denounced today the fact that federal prisoner 
Avelino Gonzalez Claudio, linked to the 
clandestine group The Macheteros, is supposedly 
being tortured in the federal detention center in 
Guaynabo where he has been confined since he was arrested on Wednesday [sic].

"We have information that they have already 
started to torture him, covering up the windows 
so he cannot know whether it's day or night," 
said Pesquera in a radio interview (WSKN).

Pesquera, a doctor by profession, said that the 
supposed "different treatment" Gonzalez Claudio 
is receiving in the jail is meant to "soften him, preparing to break his will."

Asking about the matter, governor Anabal Acevedo 
Vila said that any allegation of mistreatment 
must be "immediately" taken to the highest levels 
of federal jurisdiction by Gonzalez Claudio's attorneys.

However, he said that in Puerto Rico, "let's not 
fool ourselves. Here, historically, federal and 
state authorities... the way they treated 
independentists was very different from the way they treated other citizens."

Immediately, Migdalia Torres, public information 
officer at the federal jail in Guaynabo, said she 
had no information about Pesquera's allegations, 
but promised to investigate and get back to the Associated Press.

"I've just arrived; I don't have any information," said Torres.

Pesquera pointed out that Gonzalez Claudio, while 
clandestine for 22 years, was a teacher of 
computer science for the musician and comedian 
Silverio Perez and a president of the Supreme 
Court who could not be identified.

"We know that Avelino Gonzalez Claudio, during 
the life he lived under another name, was a very 
productive person for the Country," said Pesquera.

As for the judicial process which is to continue 
this afternoon, Pesquera said that Gonzalez 
Claudio will not recognize the jurisdiction of 
the federal court to extradite him.

"He is going to ask that he be judged here, in Puerto Rico," said Pesquera.

"That he be judged in his own land... anything else would be kidnap," he added.

Gonzalez Claudio has an identification hearing 
today before being extradited to Hartford, 
Connecticut, where he will face charges of bank 
robbery, among others, related to the robbery of 
$7 million of a Wells Fargo deposit in that city in September of 1982 [sic].

The clandestine organization The Macheteros 
claimed responsibility for this robbery.

On August 30, 1985, the Federal Bureau of 
Investigations (FBI), arrested 11 of 17 people 
related the clandestine organization which 
claimed responsibility for the deaths of two 
sailors from the Sabana Seca Navy Base and for 
the death of a police officer, in addition to the 
destruction of nine Puerto Rico National Guard airplanes.



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