[Ppnews] Oscar López Rivera - Ateneo celebrates Puerto Rican flag’s birthday

[Political Prisoner News]

http://www.prdailysun.com/index.php?page=news.article&id=1324607857


Ateneo celebrates Puerto Rican flag’s birthday

December 23, 2011

by The Daily Sun staff

By Rafael R. Díaz Torres
Of the Daily Sun staff
rdiaz at prdailysun.net

The cold winter of 1895 in New York City was 
remembered Thursday by hundreds of persons who 
gathered under a sunny December sun in front of 
the Ateneo de Puerto Rico in San Juan to 
celebrate the 116th anniversary of the island’s national flag.

The one-star symbol, which was designed by a 
group of exiled pro-independence Puerto Ricans 
from the anti-imperialist Cuban Revolutionary 
Party, was raised with a message that sought for 
more unity with Boricuas who live abroad, as well 
as with the rest of Latin America.

With the participation of members from the urban 
music group Calle 13 (13th Street) and an 
eloquent  speech by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez 
(D-Illinois), the 2011 flag ceremony was 
dedicated to the Puerto Rican political prisoner 
Oscar López Rivera, who after more than 30 years 
remains in a U.S. federal prison for allegedly 
planning seditious activities to overthrow the 
American colonial government in Puerto Rico 
through violent means while he was a member of 
the revolutionary group “Los Macheteros.”

“It’s about time to bring back Oscar and 
integrate him into Puerto Rican society,” said 
Rep. Gutiérrez during his speech where he 
advocated for the liberation of López Rivera.

The event was also dedicated to Calle 13 members 
for their role as musical ambassadors and their 
efforts to advocate for the decolonization of 
Puerto Rico and its political integration into 
the community of sovereign states in Latin 
America. The Ateneo’s Ramón Emeterio Betances 
medal was awarded to the group’s lead singer René 
Pérez Joglar (13th Street Resident) and his 
sister and also singer for Calle 13 Ileana Cabra Joglar (Peje 13).

As expected, René used the forum to promote the 
Puerto Rican political independence cause.

“It is good to know that there is a percentage of 
Puerto Ricans who want independence, who are 
proud of only one flag with a sole star,” said 
Pérez Joglar in reference to the pro-independence 
people who gathered at the 2011 flag ceremony.

“Education is the new revolution and not the 
fusil and while I respect those who gave their 
life for Puerto Rico, the true revolution is 
through education and with that, we will win any 
battle,” declared “Residente Calle 13.”

A statue of Ramón Emeterio Betances was also 
unveiled for the first time as members of the 
Ateneo’s board of directors presented it to the 
people minutes before the Puerto Rican flag was raised.

Betances is seen by many Puerto Ricans as the 
“father” of the country and, along with Eugenio 
María De Hostos, he was one of the first 
activists  and scholars from the island who 
promoted the idea of an united Latin America with 
its totality of nations independent from political colonialism.

 From the exile, Betances was one of the 
intellectual authors of the “Grito de Lares” 
(Lares Uprising) in September of 1868. He was a 
medical doctor by profession and dedicated his 
life to promote the independence of the Caribbean 
islands of Puerto Rico and Cuba.




Freedom Archives
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San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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