Puerto+Rican+Independence+Movement

Ceci Curiel =**History**=

Christopher Columbus was the first European to find the Island of [|Puerto Rico] on November 19, 1493. Juan Ponce Leon, another Spanish explorer conquered the island for Spain in 1509. Ponce became the first governor of Puerto Rico. The people conquered by Ponce were known as the Boriquen and were members of the Arawak native tribe. These indigenous people were enslaved and nearly exterminated during the Spanish Conquest. This was the begining of foreign rule in Puerto Rico. The Spanish maintained control over the island until the end of the [|Spanish American War] in 1898. When the United States took control through the Treaty of Paris signed on December 19, 1898. Two years into U.S control a civil government was created and in 1917 the Jones Act was signed. These two events gave Puerto Ricans more freedom than they had had since the Spanish Conquest in the beginning of the 17th century. The Jones Act gave Puerto Ricans U.S citizenship, weather born on the island or in the mainland. The Jones Act is also responsible for the establishment of a locally elected bicameral (consisting of two houses, in this case Senate and House of Representatives) legislator. This may be a little misleading into the freedoms of Puerto Rico. The Governor and U.S president still had veto power over the legislator. And the United States government had that power to stop anything that is passed by the legislator when ever U.S government officials see it fit. The U.S also had continual control over fiscal and economic issues and maintained control over general governmental proceedings such as mail, immigration, and defense. Later on in the century the Second World War broke out and Puerto Rico became of strategical importance to the United States. At this time a man named Luis Munoz Marin was elected governor of Puerto Rico and the first Puerto Rican to do so. He was a supporter of the commonwealth status of Puerto Rico. It was in this time that the Independence movement was truly sent ablaze.

=Political Parties=

Puerto Rican Independence Party
The Puerto Rican Independence Party, established in October of 1946 by Gilberto Concepcion de Garcia, is the largest political party in support of the independence of Puerto Rico. It is the only pro-independence party to have made it on to the ballot. The Party was large enough to catch the attention of the FBI who openly admits to the their efforts in destroying the support of the Independence movement in Puerto Rico. The party is know for strong socialist ties even though in 1972 the party made a split from those under the [|Marxist-Leninist] ideology. The leader of the Party at the time said the parties effort were more oriented toward social democracy rather than a Marxist-Leninist view. Beginning in the early 2000's the party began to lose support and on January 2, 2009 the lost legal recognition. However, in May of the same year after gathering 100,000 petition signatures the party regained legal status.

Boricua Popular Party
The Boricua Popular Party, also known as Los Macheteros, is another political party of Puerto Rico. It is considered a terriost organization by the United States. Whom the Party describes as the colonial ruler of Puerto Rico. This political party has a smaller following of only 5,700. It was headed by former FBI most wanted Filiberto Ojeda Rios until his death in 2005.The first appearance of the party was during the Spanish American War. In that time it was simply a band of Puerto Rican natives who came together in defense of the island from the invading United States. It was later reorganized and given a new personality by Filiberto Ojeda Rio's in the 1970's and continues to work towards independence even now in the 21st century without its founder.

=Filiberto Ojeda Rios=

Filiberto Ojeda Rios was the founder and leader of the Boricua Popular Party until his death in 2005. In the 1961 he moved to Cuba and began work for the Cuban intelligence service. He returned to the Puerto Rico after only a year in Cuba. In 1967 he founded the MIRA ([|Movimiento Independentista Revolucionario Armado]). The MIRA was disbanded in 1970 following Ojeda's arrest. After being arrest Ojeda skipped bail and took refuge in New York. Six years later he founded the Boricua Popular Party.

In the Fall of 1983 members of the Boricua Popular were reported to have participated in a the Wells Fargo bank robbery in Hartford, Connecticut. The crew got away with approximately 7 million. It was not until 1985 that 19 members of the Boricua Popular Party were indited on charges. The FBI then went to the residence of Filiberto Ojeda Rios and after a violent struggle arrest him. Ojeda fled U.S authorities after getting out on a bond on the basis that he was denied a speedy trial.

On December 7, 1999 Ojeda's released an interview in which he took responsibility for a bombing of a construction site. He said the attack was made because the U.S continually released false evidence in the investigations of Boricua Party Members.

On September 23, 2005 Ojedas was shot in his home in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico by FBI agents. The agents claimed that their firing was only in response to Ojeda's advancement. This is disputed outside witnesses say it was the FBI agents who fired first. The only defense that the FBI gives is that because it was a mid day attack it would not have been wise on their part to do such a thing. They also claim that a preliminary grenade was released to serve as a distraction before they entered Ojeda's home. FBI agents say that this distraction tactic may be why witnesses were confused as to who attacked first.