Saturday, September 24, 2005

Who was Filiberto Ojeda Ríos?



Those not familiar with Puerto Rican history may be asking right about now who the hell was this guy and who the hell are Los Macheteros? Here's a brief history from Wikipedia


The Boricua Popular Army —or Ejército Popular Boricua in Spanish— is a clandestine organization based on the island of Puerto Rico, with cells throughout the United States. They campaign for and support the independence of Puerto Rico from what they characterize as United States colonial rule.
Although the group has claimed responsibility for numerous armed robberies and bombings since 1978, and is still led by Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, a former FBI Most Wanted Fugitive, they have refocused their resources and networks to political, information and enforcement support for the general independence and nationalist movement.
Also known as Los Macheteros (or 'The Machete Wielders' in English) and 'Puerto Rican Popular Army', their active membership of mostly Puerto Rican men and women have swelled to over 1100 (as of January 2005), with an unknown number of supporters, sympathizers, collaborators and informants, with cells (usually consisting of 6 to 10 members) in the United States and other countries.

The Macheteros claim (and many historians agree) that part of the reason for their formation and actions was to defend Puerto Rico's legal process and political evolution from US Government intervention. Other supporters of the independence movement argue that the Macheteros are just a continuity of the hundred years clandestine war Puerto Ricans have fought against United States policies in the island, such as the Culebra and Vieques bombing range; the disproportionate number of military bases (compared to states in the Union); the population control experiments of the 1960s (where a third of all women in Puerto Rico were sterilized); the FBI and CIA assassinations of independence and nationalist leaders (including the alleged murder of Dr. Pedro Albízu Campos, by means of radiation experiments while he was incarcerated); the infamous Dr. Rhoades cancer "treatments", during which Doctor Cornelius P. Rhoades admitted to killing Puerto Rican patients and injecting cancer cells to many as part of a medical investigation conducted in San Juan's Presbyterian Hospital for the Rockefeller Institute; secret testing of Agent Orange on Puerto Rican soil; and other incidents.

As a 'terrorist' group, Los Macheteros have claimed the least amount of innocent/civilian lives when compared to most paramilitary, terrorist or other organized insurgency groups of its kind, type, size and history (according to U.S. Federal documents). They claim to regard the U.S. working class with as much respect as to their own people (although, technically, they are considered U.S. citizens as well). They claim that their 'war' is with the U.S. Government policies and politicians that continue to exploit the people and resources of Puerto Rico (also known as 'Borinquen,' or 'Boriken, from the original Taino -- native Indians of the Caribbean language), an island with a population comparable to the Republic of Ireland, but just over an eighth its size. Although most Puerto Ricans reject violence as a political means, many believe that the economic and political exploitation and oppression of Puerto Rico continues to fuel the activities of many insurgent groups.

Also, many political groups opposed to U.S. dominion of Puerto Rico agree that the U.S. invasion and occupation during the Spanish-American War in 1898 was illegal and unjustified, just like many other U.S. military operations throughout Latin America in the 20th century. Although there were Spanish troops in the island, Puerto Rico had been granted a form of sovereignty from the Spanish Crown months before the USS Maine incident in Cuba, which the United States used as grounds to declare war against Spain.

Labels: Filiberto Ojeda Rios, macheteros, politics, Puerto Rican Popular Army

Click here to read entire post.



Posted by @ 10:14 PM
0 comment from:

Leader of Los Macheteros killed by F.B.I.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Seventy year old FBI fugitive Filiberto Ojeda Rios, leader of the Puerto Rican Popular Army ‘Los Macheteros’ was killed in a shoot out with the FBI in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico.



Luis Fraticelli, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Puerto Rico, said he "died with his boots on" Rios was wearing camouflaged pants, a bullet-proof vest, and military boots and a pistol when he died September 23, 2005, Friday afternoon in a crossfire with FBI agents, said During a press conference Saturday night, Fraticelli told reporters that by the time FBI agents had gained access to the house where Ojeda Rios had barricaded himself with wife, Elma Beatriz Rosado Barbosa, in the municipality of Hormigueros, the pro-independence leader’s body had sustained two gunshot wounds; one to the clavicle and another one to his shoulder.

According to Fraticelli, FBI agents had been watching Ojeda Rios since Sept. 20 and that the shooting took place after Ojeda Rios spotted them.
Fraticelli said the fugitive opened fire against FBI agents on three occasions. The first time, he seriously wounded one agent. Two other agents were also hit, but not wounded, thanks to their bullet-proof vests.

Fraticelli told reporters that the FBI had waited more than 24 hours to disclose the details of the incident because the agency wanted to ensure the safety of the agents that had participated in the shooting. He also said that they didn’t immediately enter the house where Ojeda Rios was killed because first they needed to make sure that no more lives were going to be compromised.

On a personal note I don't condone violence, not even by my own people, however WTF?? I can't believe that the friggin' FBI could not arrest a 70 yr old man without killing him. The FBI just made 3 mistakes which are going to come back to haunt them and cause a chain reaction of anger among Boriquas on the island and state side. I've already seen footage on on going protests on the island. Unfortunately blogger seems to be tripping today and won't let me add the photos...

Mistake # 1) They chose to arrest him on the 137th anniversary of the Grito de Lares uprising. El Grito de Lares is an important event in Boriqua history. El Grito de Lares the Lares rebellion— refers to the revolt against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico which occurred on September 23, 1868, in the town of Lares, Puerto Rico.Even though the revolt in itself failed, the outcome was positive since Spain granted more autonomy to the island.

Mistake # 2: The FBI did not announce his death right away instead waiting for a day to supposedly ensure the safety of their agents on the island. The people are going to go bonkers over this one, especially given the way the American govt. has treated Boriqua dissidents in the past. For example the murder of Dr. Pedro Albízu Campos, by means of radiation experiments while he was incarcerated.

Mistake # 3: By killing the 70 year old Filiberto Ojeda Rios the FBI has just made him into a martyr for the pro-independent movement.

Labels: Filiberto Ojeda Rios, macheteros, politics, Puerto Rico

Click here to read entire post.



Posted by @ 9:36 PM
0 comment from: