[Ppnews] Puerto Rican Mayors Association requesting liberation of Oscar López Rivera

[Political Prisoner News]

Mayors Association requesting liberation of Oscar López Rivera

December 20, 2010
by Juan A. Hernandez
<mailto:jhernandez at prdailysun.net>jhernandez at prdailysun.net
http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Mayors-Association-requesting-liberation-of-Oscar-Lpez-Rivera 


Mayors from across the island signed a petition 
Sunday for the release from prison of 
pro-independence activist Oscar López Rivera.

The petition, dubbed the "Comerío Statement", was 
signed by members of the Puerto Rico Mayors 
Association, who characterized López Rivera’s 
incarceration as “ideological punishment.”

“It is high time for this brother, whose only 
crime is his activism in favor of Puerto Rico’s 
independence, to come back home to his family,” 
Comerío mayor Josean Santiago said.

The petition states that López Rivera’s 70-year 
sentence makes him a political prisoner whose 
conviction is due only for being associated to a 
political and military organization that promotes independence for Puerto Rico.

In 1980 López Rivera was convicted of seditious 
conspiracy by the U.S. government because of his 
alleged involvement with the National Liberation 
Armed Forces (FALN for its Spanish acronym), a 
Nationalist group linked to several bombings and five deaths during the 1970’s.

López Rivera, born in San Sebastián, is a Vietnam 
era veteran and received a Bronze Star medal for 
meritorious service.  Prior to his conviction 
López Rivera was a respected community activist 
and Puerto Rican independence leader in the city of Chicago.

Santiago’s involvement in the campaign for the 
release of López Rivera came last summer, when he 
met the prisoner’s brother José during a visit to Chicago.

“The Puerto Rican community there had dedicated 
their main festivities to Comerío and I was 
invited to the event. There I met José, who told 
me about his brother and the difficulties he 
faces in prison. It was hard for me not to feel 
sympathy for his sibling,” Santiago said.

“This Puerto Rican brother has spent 29 of his 67 
years in a prison just for his beliefs. That is 
cruel and extreme punishment. It is time for him to come back home,” he added.

The petition will be sent to the president of the 
federal Parole Board, Isaac Fulwood. The petition 
reiterates another sent in November by U.S. 
Congress members Luis Gutiérrez (Ill), Nydia 
Velázquez (NY) and José Serrano (NY) ?all born in Puerto Rico.
  p;
“We have to put aside all political 
considerations. This is a matter of humanity ? 
I’m confident thaat with the support of these 
Congress members, along with the support of our 
Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi there is a 
good chance for us to have Oscar back home with us soon,” Santiago said.

Congressman Gutiérrez, who is visiting the island 
during the holidays, anticipated he will present 
the petition to the new Congress next Jan. 4th.

“I’m convinced that conditions are favorable for 
Oscar’s release thanks to the support of the 
Resident Commissioner and the Puerto Rican community,” Gutiérrez said.



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