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/c CAPITALISM COLONIALISM a system of economic exploitation where the imposing of direct political, social and a few greedy individuals and corporations economic control by one nation over own and control all of the industry, another. As the process of colonization profits and the labor which is produced moves forward the colonizer tries to by the people. destroy the colonized nation's sense of its own identity by wiping out the people's history, language and culture.

IMPERIALISM GENOCIDE a policy of conquest by one nation over is the end result of capitalist-imperialism another with the aim of stealing the and colonialism—the complete destruction conquered nation's treasures and exploi- of one nation by another, leaving behind ting its raw materials and population. no trace of its ever having existed.

J SOCIALISM a system where ALL OF THE PEOPLE work together for the benefit of all. Where the labor and wealth is controlled by the people themselves and one person does not exploit another. Socialism is the way of the future for all of the oppressed people of the world who will finally put an end to the capitalist systems of imperialism, colonialism, and genocide. INTRODUCTION

This short history of Puerto Rico is dedicated to all of our brothers and sisters both in the United States and in Puerto Rico who have been kept in ignorance about our true rational history. This is not our complete history, but simply a basic outline providing highlights of some of the important incidents and individuals who have played a significant role in our development as a people.

Most of us, especially those who have been brought up in the United States and have gone through its racist school system, are deliberately denied any knowledge about our history and status as a nation which does not agree with the lies which the U.S. capitalist imperialists present as the truth. We are kept in ignorance because the system which exploits and oppresses our people can only survive as long as we are kept devided and confused concerning our real history, language and culture. We are an enslaved nation, but once a slave begins to acquire some sense of identity and self-knowledge there begins a process of awakening which makes that slave more and more aware of the various methods by which the slaveowner keeps things under control. Once we begin to see ourselves and our oppressed condition in the clear light of our own truth, then the process of change, revolutionary change which leads to a revolutionary struggle, begins to take place. The purpose of this little book is to provide our people with a reference point from which we can move and expand our knowledge about ourselves and our role in history. The major portion of this book deals with the period beginning with the Spanish discovery and conquest of our island in 1493 and ending with the early and middle nineteen fifties which saw the beginning of the great migration of Puerto Ricans to the United States and the last desperate struggle of Albizu Campos and the Nationalist Party to smash the chains of the "Commonwealth"relationship with the United States.

The more recent history of our people's struggle is very complicated and would require greater detail and analysis beyond the scope of this brief work. But we hope that armed with this knowledge you will be encouraged to continue studing and understanding as much of our total history as you can. The main point to keep in mind while reading this and other books dealing with Puerto Rico is that our people have continually struggled, fought and many times died to gain our national freedom. All of us must take this to heart as we follow in the path of all the brave and unselfish Puerto Rican revolutionaries, known and unknown, whose blood flows through our veins and whose example we must follow for the final liberation of our nation. This book is written and produced4o be distributed free of charge. You should pass it on to another person after you finish reading it so that this knowledge may be given to as many of our people as possible.

VIVA PUERTO RICO LIBRE!!

THE SPANISH CONQUEST

Borinquen is the name which the native Indians gave to our island of Puerto Rico. It is a small island, 3,423 square miles (8,890 Kilometers), located in the Caribbean Sea. Puerto Rico is situated east of the island of La Espanola which contains the Republics of Haiti and Santo Domingo. Puerto Rico is 100 miles long east to west and 35 miles wide north to south. It is the smallest island in the chain known as the Greater Antilles which also includes Cuba, Jamai- ca and La Espanola. Originally the name Puerto Rico was given to what is known today as San Juan, the capital city. Puerto Christopher Columbus was the inhabitants who had no idea Rico has a population of close first European to set foot on that their island had been "di- to three million people who Borinquen, coming ashore on scovered" and now belonged to actually live on the island and November 19, 1493. Juan Ponce the Spanish King and Queen. there are well over a million de Leon, a conquistador was Ponce de Leon, after commiting Puerto Ricans living in the Uni- appointed the first Spanish go- brutal crimes against the native ted States, mostly in New York vernor of the island. His first population, used the island as a City. task was to conquer the native jumping off point for later ex- plorations and conquests in the "New World". He was later granted exclusive rights to all of the lands "discovered" by him for the glory of Spain.

The natives of Puerto Rico were mainly the Taine and Ara- wak tribes who were part of the Aruaca nation. The Aruaca nation was originally from what is now Venezuela in South Ame- rica and its different tribes were to be found on different islands throughout the Caribbean. The natives were basically an agricultural people, yuca and corn being their main crops. They were continually having to defend The Indians' basic diet was corn and yuca. their island against attacks laun- Christopher Columbus being greeted by the "peaceful" natives.

ched against them by the inhabi- turned into slaves died very tants of some of the other is- quickly, the rest were either lands, especially the fierce Ca- massacred or driven off their rib's of the Lesser Antilles. Obvi- land. Many of the Indians es- ously the Indians were not a caped into the mountains or the "docile" people as Christopher smaller surrounding islands, ma- Columbus had described them king alliances with the Carib's since they were constantly busy and Cubacanes and continuing defending their island, making to fight the Spanish invaders weapons and engaging in war- straight into the last half of the fare. 18th century. One of their last recorded attacks was against the After making friends with the fortress of San German at the Indians, the Spaniards betrayed end of the 1700's, three hun- the natives and attempted to dred years after the Spaniards enslave them. Those who were began their genocidal conquest.

Juan tie Ce6n

Puerto Rico was of great value to the Spaniards and was prized by them because of its strategic location in the Carib- bean. They used the island pri- marily as a fortress guarding the eastern approaches to their wealthy colonies on the mainlands of •North, Central and South Ame- , rica. The Spaniards did very Enslaved natives working in a sugar mill. little to develop the economy of The "peaceful" natives fought back.

the island, they were content to treatment and slaughter. Inter- the 1700's and 1800's, and al- use it mostly as a fortress of marriage between Spaniards and ways small numbers of slaves their empire and as a prison for Indian women and the dispersal who would escape to the inte- political prisoners. Bu t as Spa- of those natives still resisting the rior of the island and join with niards continued to emigrate to invaders created a shortage of the remnants of the Indian po- the New World in search of gold labor on the new tobacco, sugar pulation safe in the mountains. and silver, the population began cane and cocoa plantations Many poor Spaniards also drif- to grow. There was only a li- which were springing up. The ted into the interior, seeking to mited supply of easy riches to new source of slave labor was make a living away from the be found in the New World and found in West Africa in what is harsh conditions on the planta- most of that was already being now known as Nigeria. The colo- tions. The Indians, Blacks and exploited by the earlier Con- nizers began importing black Spaniards,intermarried, giving quistadors. The Spaniards began slaves by the thousands. The birth to the "Jibaro". That to develop plantations which majority of these enslaved peo- name was first used to describe grew products that found an ple were of the Yoruba tribe. this new mixture of mountain eager market in Europe. The They suffered as the Indians people but as Puerto Rico's po- cultivation of tobacco and sugar before them had suffered. They pulation increased and spread provided valuable returns from had no political, social, cultural throughout the island, the term Europe and so Puerto Rico be- or economic rights and they Jibaro came to mean poor coun- gan to develop an agricultrual fought back against their oppres- try people in general. The Jibaro economy. sion and exploitation at the was and still is oppressed and The only source of cheap hands of the slave owners and exploited. Just like the Jibaro's slave labor, the natives, had been colonizers. There were conti- Indian, Black and Poor white wiped out through inhuman nuous slave revolts, throughout ancestors, the exploiter has 3 Slaves being driven to the new world.

made the Jibaros targets for contempt and jokes which pic- ture them as being basically lazy and stupid. But we must realize that our native culture in its beauty and variety is best repre- sented in the Jibaros, who have stubbornly resisted the colonialist's and imperialist's attempts to rob them of their heritage and identity as Puerto Ricans, and as we eat our food, dance, make music, or even talk, we can easily trace the different influences of our combined ra- ces in the making of a Puerto Rican nation.

Jibaro RAMON EMETERIO BETANCES AND EL GRITO DE LARES

Betances as a young man. The slaves had no social, economic or political rights.

Some of Puerto Rico's greatest tion around the island as a bril- In 1856, Betanees started buy- patriots and fighters for inde- liant doctor and as a passionate ing slave children in order to set pendence were first involved in enemy of slavery. them free. This action provoked the movement to abolish slavery the colonial authorities so much in the 1800's. The greatest of In 1855, a terrible cholera epi- that he was persecuted and these leaders, both in the strug- demic struck Puerto Rico, cau- threatened and forced into exile. gle against slavery and for the sing over 30,000 deaths. Betan- liberation of Puerto, was Ramon ees worked hard organizing cli- While in exile Betanees not Hmeterio Betanees, who is nics, healing the sick and trying only continued to agitate for the known among our people as HI to bring the sickness under con- abolition of slavery and the libe- Padre de la Patria (Father of our trol. He gave so much to his ration of Puerto Rico, he also Country). Betanees was born in people during this crisis that he began to conceive of liberating the town of Cabo Rojo on April was looked upon by many as a the entire West Indies and for- 8, 1827. As a young man, he saint of mercy. The city of ming a Caribbean confederation, began his studies in Puerto Rieo Mayaguez and even the governor creating a powerful and inde- and then travelled to France offered him honors but he re- pendent nation which would where he attended the Univer- fused them. He was honored command the respect of the sity of Paris and graduated from instead by the people who called world. Throughout his life as a its school of medicine at the age him the "Father of the Poor". revolutionary, Betanees remai- of 26. He returned to the island Betanees began to denounce sla- ned an Internationalist dedica- in 1853, inspired by the ideals very in stronger and stronger ted to the liberation of all op- of the French revolution. Hu- terms and also began calling for pressed nations. manity, Fquality and Fraternity, the independence of Puerto and began to practice medicine Rico. The Spanish colonialists, When he returned from exile, in the town of Mayaguez. Betan- aware of Betanees' popularity he began to work with the ees quickly developed a reputa- with the people, began to worry. "Secret Societies" which were in Chile, a victim of assasination, but Betances was soon back in the mountains of Cabo Rojo organizing for the revolution. The governor had by this time placed a high reward for his capture dead or alive, but Betan- ces managed to elude the bounty hunters and escaped to Santo Domingo where he learned of the death of his great revolutionary comrade Ruis Bel- vis. When he asked "who killed him?" The answer was "the enemies of the people's freedom".

Betances travelled to the island of Saint Thomas which was then a Colony of Denmark in order to be closer to Puerto Rico. It was there that he issued the first proclamation of the Puerto Rican revolution, "The Ten Commandments of Free- dom"- the first of which was the "abolition of slavery". While in Saint Thomas, he acquired 500 guns and 3 cannons and before leaving, he published the second proclamation of the revolution- Revolutionary army marching on Lares. £-'Puerto Ricans, No More Spa- nish Domination"!! being organized throughout the Sept. 23, 1868. On the 2nd of January 1868, island. These societies were un- Betances was in Santo Domingo derground organizations which In HI Morro Castle in San where he edited the "Provisional were preparing an armed up- Juan, some political prisoners Constitution of the Puerto rising to win Puerto Rico's inde- had been murdered in 1867. In Rican Revolution". That same pendence from the Spanish retaliation, three Sergeants and month he also learned about a tyranny. They were led by such five Corporals of the Spanish proposal from the United States men as Manuel Gonzalez who army were killed, presumably by to purchase both Cuba and Puer- had come from Venezuela to liberation forces. The governor to Rico from Spain. This alerted help in the struggle, Mathias then ordered Betances and Ruiz Betances and the other revo- Bruckman, a North American. Belvis, another great patriot, in- lutionaries to the growing dan- Manuel Rojas and other patriots to exile in Spain. Instead, Betan- ger posed by the U.S. empire's committed to the freeing of ces and Belvis travelled around interest in gaining new colonies Puerto Rico. Most of them gave the various Latin American in the Caribbean. Planning for their lives as proof of their countries and even to New York the revolution was stepped up convictions on the day the Out- City, gathering support in mo- by the freedom fighters and cry for Freedom (El Grito De ney and arms from sympathizers they continued to stock up on Lares) was heard from the with the cause of Puerto Rican weapons and other supplies in mountain town of Lares on independence. Belvis died while preparation for a landing by sea, 7 which was to take place on the slave and "free", would join in 29th of September, 1868. The the struggle and quickly over- landing of arms and men, accor- throw the colonial government. ding to the plan, was to be done Their plans were ruined by an in secret and a general uprising unforeseen development. was to break out in different towns around the island at the In the town of Camuy, the same time. Betances and the president of the secret socie- other leaders were confident ty-Lansador del Norte. Manuel that the masses of oppressed and Gonzalez, had allowed an infor- exploited Puerto Ricans, both mer to become a member just as

Wherever he went, Betances continued the revolutionary struggle.

the final plans were being made. I This agent related what he had I found out to the Spanish authorities, who alerted the army which had most of its forces stationed in San Juan. The ele- ment of surprise had been lost. Not only that but on Sept. 22, 1868, the governor ordered the •army to arrest many of the society's leaders and discovered more names which led to mass, arrests throughout the island. When this information reached Mathias Bruckman, president of the Capa Prieta society, he assembled 500 men and marched towards Lares where he was met by other secret society leaders such as Joaquin Parilla, Manuel Rosado, Manuel Cebol- lero, Rodolfo Echeverria, Cle- mente Milan, etc. On that day, the revolutionary forces of Puer-' to Rico began the uprising: against oppression which is still being carried out today by all Puerto Ricans who yearn to be free and who are willing to The Spanish army puts down the uprising. sacrifice anything, including their lives to achieve for out'1 people that which has so long a worker acted too proud in Grito de Lares, thousands of been denied, our liberty. front of the boss or demanded people from all over the island some form of justice, he would gather in the town to com- The revolutionary forces sur- be branded as a troublemaker. A memorate the uprising. The rounded the town of Lares and bad mark on a worker's book second Republic of Puerto Rico on the 23rd of September, they might lead to his death because will never be because the first attacked the Spanish strong- he would never again be able to Republic still lives in our hearts. holds in the town. Some 700 find employment and he would people marched of all colors and also be subjected to harassment Betances continued the «lasie£, men and women,tslaYe- by the colonial authorities. struggle from exile for the rest owners and slaves. They were •' ',--•'''. •:••'•'' ..S-- '•••• - .':i'"?-:- of his life. He continued to armed with guns, machetes, As the revolutionary army agitate and organize for the li- sticks; anything which coold be was being defeated the colonial beration not only of Puerto used as a weapon. They took the government began to take its Rico, but for the other islands town by surprise and after a revenge. Thousands of innocent of the Greater Antilles, Cuba, short battle the flag of a free people along with thfi^ "guilty" Santo Domingo, and Haiti, Puerto Rico was raised to the freedom fighters were murdered, iphiCh wer^jllf involved in revo- cheers of the people. The inde- jailed and persecuted. The revolutionary struggles. Betances' in- pendence of Puerto Rico was lutionaries who died went to fluence and prestige are well declared, and the Republic Of their deaths with great courage. illustrated by the fact that he Puerto Rico was proclaimed. Venancio Roman, as the story was offered the Presidency of There was real jubilation over goes, cried as he lay dying Santo Domingo when that coun- the short period of freedom, during the battle "Long live the try achieved a republicform of short because the Spanish army freedom of Puerto Rico, I came government. Betances died in was racing towards Lares to put to Lares to fight and die, I did France on September 16, 1898 down the "insurrection". Mean- not come here to run", and he with these dying words, "No while, the workers burned thier defied the Spanish soldier who quiero colonia, ni con Espana, ni "passbooks" in large fires. These stood over his dying body to con Estados Unidos, Que hacen were notebooks which evety fire; the soldier did. The soldier los Puertoriquenos que no se worker was forced to carry at all probably could not understand rebelan"? ("I don't want a co- times. The bosses or acendados Venancio Roman's love for lony either with Spain or the would write on them comments liberty. That is the ultimate United States, why don't the about the worker's behavior, commitment, your life. Every Puerto Ricans revolt?" ) attitudes and general conduct. If year, on the Anniversary of El THE SPANISH REFORM

Luis Munoz Rivera (seated at left), Puerto Rico's first and only Prime Minister, with his cabinet.

Although the Lares uprising governments of Puerto Rico and to Rican parliament. Spain con- failed to win our country's inde- Cuba. Puerto Rico was granted tinued to be responsible for the pendence, it did force the Spa- its own autonomous government military defense of the island. niards to take a closer look at within the Spanish Empire. This But Puerto Ricans had their own the situation on the island and meant that the island would citizenship and were not obliga- to begin the granting of certain have the right to have its own ted to enter military service in reforms, one of which was the banking, customs, and postal the Spanish army. The first and abolition of slavery in 1873. systems and would be able to only Prime Minister of Puerto Because of continued pressure trade on its own with the rest of Rico under the autonomous and agitation on the island, the the world. Puerto Rico was gran- government which was formed Spanish government was forced ted 16 representatives to the in July of 1868 was Luis Munoz to make a number of con- Spanish Cortes (Parliament), and Rivera, whose son, Luis Munoz cessions and in November of no laws or treaties involving Marin, was later to become the 1897, the Spanish Crown issued Puerto Rico could be passed first "elected" governor of Puer- three decrees liberalizing the without the consent of the Puer- to Rico under North American, rule. 10 YANQUt INVASION

On July 25, 1898, the United backyard of the expanding U.S. States invaded our country with Empire would obviously end 16,000 troops under the com- with Spain's defeat. When the mand of General Nelson Miles battleship "Maine" was blown and established a military occu- up in Havana Harbor, the U.S. pation. This invasion came at found its needed excuse and the conclusion of the Spa- declared war on Spain. Some nish-American War which gave historians of this period have birth to American imperialism suggested that the blowing up of and colonialism in the Carib- the "Maine" was done by the bean. That year the U.S. had United States itself in order to sent the warship "Maine" into provoke a war. In the U.S. his- Havana Bay using as an excuse tory books, this war is presented the story that American citizens as a crusade against the vicious were being "endangered". At tyranrfy of Spain. The U.S. this time the Cuban people were intervention in Cuba is pictured waging a great war against the as a heroic action in support of Spaniards for the liberation of the Cuban people's struggle for their island and were close to their national liberation. THIS winning their freedom. The U.S. IS A LIE! Against their wishes, had been seeking for a long time the people of Cuba and Puerto to expand its Empire into the Rico in the Caribbean, and the General Nelson A. Miles, commander Caribbean. The Spanish colonial people of the Philippines and of the Yankee invasion. possessions were of particular Guam in the Pacific became part interest because of the strategic of the new American Empire. military value of both Puerto With the signing of the treaty of Rico and Cuba and because the Paris in 1898, Puerto Rico, Spanish Empire was falling apart Guam and the Philippines be- and militarily weak. A war with came North American colonies. far away Spain right in the

American Soldiers begin the occupation of Puerto Rico. 11 do U Ub^rtad, 4e U JwtloU: jrjto U Hnmanldsa, «m faciau mlHtaw* ban renfdoi In bla da Puerto-lJoo. V\eoen ollw 'iMtwtWxJo id «Und«ct« 5V,b«t*le« wmpaUblek con ert* ocn *" 'tr ••v->"'-"T'Cl^^fe^^l:^tt;:.-. qne fci ettado darante alguuon gj.f' vocotro* lino tnmbl^a A vno«- *•'

Proclamation signed General Miles. The fi two lines read:

"As a consequence the war which we i forced to fight agaii Spain, the people of t Un ited States, in j cause of Liberty, Jusli and Humanity, have M our armed forces to t cupy the island of Pus to Rico."

Cuba was militarily occupied for Batista dictatorship and its have been the victims of Ameri two years, after which it was North American supporters and can military occupations. Haiti granted a false independence finally took control of their own Santo Domingo, Nicaragua which allowed the U.S. to con- country. Panama, Cu ba, Puerto Rico trol the economic and political1 Mexico and other countries hav( life of the country and to inter- 1898 is the year the U.S. been invaded and plundered bj vene in its internal affairs when- became a true colonial power. the United States. After mow ever United States interests were From that time to the present, than 70 years of American occui thought to be endangered. As the U.S. has continued to inter- pation, the people of Puerto! we know, the Cuban people put vene in the internal affairs of Rico have less control of their an end to this situation on Jan- nations all over the world in national lives than they did du- uary 1st, 1959 when led by order to maintain its Empire. ring the autonomous govern! Fidel Castro, they overthrew the Many nations of Latin America ment under Spain. • 12 OUR "LIBERATORS" IN ACTION

The U.S. would like for us of his colonial cabinet and the supposed to look towards the and the rest of the world to heads of government agencies U.S. for a good future as an believe that they came to Puerto were all appointed by the Presi- American colony. Although a Rico as liberators. But one of dent of the U.S. The people had minority of our population the first actions of the North no voice in running their own bought the American Dream, American occupation was to dis- country and most of the offi-. the truth is that the majority of solve the autonomous parlia- cials appointed to the colonial our people resisted the attempts ment and to set up a military government were North Ameri- to destroy their national culture government which set our pro- cans who knew nothing of our and continued to think and feel gress back several hundred years language, traditions or culture. themselves Pu erto Rican and not to the time of the early Spanish This law also provided for colo- North American. conquest. By forcing our people nial elections every four years to to immediately exchange our elect the members of a "Cham- In 1904, six years after the currency from Spanish pesos to ber of Puerto Rican Delegates". U.S. invasion, the American American dollars, the U.S. chea- This chamber had no powers at labor leader Samuel Gompers ted the people out of more than all and could only advise and visited our island to investigate two hundred million dollars. recommend legislation to the conditions in Puerto Rico under This was a deliberate robbery of a colonial governor who could the U.S. occupation. Here is part poor nation because the U.S. accept or reject them according of what he reported; knew that the Spanish currency to the desires of the North contained far more gold and Americans. "I have seen men working in the silver than the American. sugar mills of Puerto Rico fifteen and sixteen hours for forty At this same time, the U.S. was cents a day. I have seen men The people greatly resented attempting to Americanize our and opposed the U.S. military toiling in the sugar fields vir- country by requiring that the tually dragging themselves occupation. The U.S. responded schools teach only in English. through fifteen hours a day for by imposing the Foraker law in The students were made to take forty or forty-five cents. Some 1901. This law was supposed to an oath every day in front of the of the millers of sugar have establish a'civil government"for U.S. flag and to swear their installed a system of stores as Puerto Rico. According to this loyalty to the United States of obligatory supply centers for law, the governor, the members America. Our people were now these working men, working

The first "Civil Government" under the U.S. occupation.

13 Our people lived in huts while the invaders got rich.

men working fifteen to sixteen ren with the marks of hunger in more than 20,000 Puerto Ricans hours tor forty to Forty-five their faces. No, never have I seen were obligated to join the U.S. cents a day, paid in stamps such an accumulation of misery army and fight in Europe. Since representing cash redeemable in one people, and understand that time Puerto Ricans have only in these company stores. that I know something of this been forced to serve in the U'S' The people in these villages have mother earth, the conditions armed forces. If we refuse we existent in Puerto Rico today no other funds than these run the risk of being sent to stamps... So the workers are reflect no honor or credit upon prison for five or ten years and a compelled to live bonded to the our country." Not content just earth like the ancient serfs under to exploit our people and natur- ten thousand dollar fine. More the rule of their masters and at al resources, the U.S. found than 200,000 Puerto Ricans the disposition of any of those other ways in which we could be were obliged to fight in World rulers who might want to expel used." War II and 100,000 of us fought them and destroy their huts... In in Korea losing 4,000 killed. my trip through Puerto Rico, I In 1917 the U.S. fored Ameri- This was the highest per capita saw more idle men and more can citizenship upon the Puerto casualty rate of any U.S. state or without work, not idle by Rican people. This was not an territory. Now many of our choice, but because there was no act of unselfish generosity on people are dying in Viet Nam work, than I have ever seen in the part of the U.S. America had where the people are fighting for my life among people of equal entered the first world war in the same, right to lead their own numbers... I have never seen so Europe and needed our bodies lives for which the Puerto Rican many Human Beings showing so to fight in a war which did not people continue to struggle. clearly the signs of malnutrition involve our country. As a pro- nor so many women and child- duct of our new "citizenship" 14

•v Puerto Rican soldiers marching to war for the U.S.A.

OPPOSITION TO U.S. CITIZENSHIP

When American citizenship citizenship. If a person publicly colonial masters and failed to was imposed on our people, the rejected American citizenship, organize or educate the people U.S. congress did not care about he or she became the victim of to fight for their national rights our people's opinion or the repression and persecution as Puerto Ricans. Despite this opposition expressed by the which could mean at least the repression and intimidation, Chamber of Deputies which had loss of a job or other forms of hundreds of Puerto Ricans went been created by the North intimidation by the colonial before the few judges in the Americans themselves. The po- authorities and police. There country and swore out the affi- pular opposition was so intense were very few judges on the davit refusing U.S. citizenship. that the North Americans could island at that time and the U.S. Many of these people had to not even pretend to follow deliberately avoided explaining travel great distances and en- "democratic methods". Instead the new law to our people. dured great hardships in order to of giving the people any choice, Puerto Ricans were for the most defy the North American go- the Americans used a system of part kept in ignorance concer- vernment and its collaborators. intimidation by which only ning what American citizenship They have provided all of us those Puerto Ricans who would actually meant. Also, many of with an example to remember. publicly fill out a form in front our popular "leaders" worked of a judge could refuse U.S. hand in hand with their new 15 '*":". PEDRO ALBIZU CAMPOS AND THE NATIONALIST PARTY

Pedro Albizu Campos was First World War as they have of the original founders of the born in the city of Ponce on continued to die in U.S. wars up Nationalist Party, Albizu spent Sept. 21, 1891. His life is the till this moment. Dying in wars the next few years traveling in story of much of our modern not of our making for a freedom Latin America, educating the history of struggle for indepen- which is not ours, not in combat people throughout the continent dence because right up until his or even in death. Many of the as to the conditions which exis- death in 1965 he was the main Puerto Rican soldiers who ted in Puerto Rico. At the same fighter, symbol and inspiration fought in the First World War time he made contacts with of our people's revolutionary returned from Europe with a other Latin American revolu- spirit. He was a great speaker burning conviction that Puerto tionaries and was able to acquire and leader of the Puerto Rican Rico must be freed. Their ex- a broad knowledge of the oppr- people and throughout his life periences in the American army essive conditions which Ameri- he never compromised his be- had exposed in their minds the can domination had brought liefs for the sake of safety or true nature of the racist, inhu- upon all of the exploited nations comfort. man "american way of life". of Latin America. When he re- Albizu Campos returned from turned to Puerto Rico he was Albizu Campos had been a the war with the rank of Lieu- ready to begin a total struggle law student at Harvard Univer- tenant, but for him and many for independence which was to sity when the First World War others the real war, for the take up the rest of his life. began. He enlisted in the U.S. liberation of our island, had just Army and because he was dark begun. Albizu Campos was elected skinned, he was assigned to a president of the Nationalist segregated Black regiment where At this point in the Island's Party in 1930 and began to he suffered the same brutal dis- history, the Union Party was the travel around the island explai- crimination and humiliation main political organization advo- ning the nature of American which people of color have al- cating independence for Puerto colonial domination to the peo- ways suffered in the racist Uni- Rico. Most of the supporters of ple and exhorting them to de- ted States. There were many independence belonged to or fend their nation by any means Puerto Ricans like Albizu Cam- related to this party, but in necessary. It was clear in his pos who fought for the U.S. in 1922 the Union Party removed mind that the only way the the first world war and through immediate independence as part chains of exploitation could be this bitter experience became of its program and sold out to broken and our Puerto Rico aware of the contradictions be- U.S. imperialism. Most of the liberated, would be through tween American ideals and the dedicated independence fighters revolutionary armed struggle. reality of its treatment of people left the Union Party and formed The people would have to rise who were called "inferior" be- the Nationalist Party of Puerto up in arms and force the Ameri- cause of their skin color or the Rico. The young lawyer Albizu can invaders out, just as Betan- language which they spoke. Campos was one of the party's ces and other patriots Many of our people died in the founders. Although he was one throughout our history had 17

• ALBIZU CAMPOS IN HIS YOUTH 18 fought the Spanish oppression. thrown. On February 23, two attempt to blackmail our people He understood something which young patriots, Elias Beauchamp into agreeing to their slavery in we must always bear in mind, and Hiram Rosado, killed the return for which our U.S. "be- neighter words nor phony ' elec- head of the colonial police, U.S. nefactors" would not cast us out tions" will ever free our people colonel Francis Riggs. Riggs had into the cold, alone and without and break the chains of the been sent to Puerto Rico to U.S. aid. This is a tactic which oppressor, we must be prepared train the colonial police in coun- U.S. has traditionally used in to fight and die if necessary for ter-insurgency techniques just as order to confuse and frighten our dignity and self-deter- the U.S. is now doing in South both our people and certain mination as a people. Vietnam, Korea, Bolivia, Pana- political "leaders" who are al- ma, and many other countries ways looking for an excuse to The economy of Puerto Rico, throughout the world where the justify our colonial status. This weakened by U.S. exploitation, people are fighting for their na- attempt at blackmail didn't had gone from bad to worse. tional freedom. work. More than 40 of the 77 Unemployment and hunger municipalities in Puerto Rico combined with the continuing In revenge for this action, the lowered the United States flag political repression created a re- two young patriots were mur- and replaced it with the flag of volutionary mood among large dered in a colonial police sta- Puerto Rico. Public meetings numbers of the people. The re- tion. The North American go- were held all over the island volutionary movement was gai- vernment then began a violent demanding recognition of our ning strength from day to day. wave of repression and Albizu independence. Despite the fact In 1935 in the university city of Campos, along with other lea- that most of the people of Puer- Rio Piedras, the colonial police ders of the Nationalist Party, to Rico had clearly demonstra- murdered Ramon Pagan, a lea- was arrested on charges of hav- ted their desire for indepen- der of the Nationalist Party ing conspired to "overthrow the dence, the Tydings bill was re- along with three young students government of the United States jected by the U.S. congress. of the University of Puerto established in Puerto Ri co" Rico. These murders were the Once again the U.S. had direct result of the growing suc- In response to the continuing shown that it was determined to cess of the Nationalist's cam- agitation for independence, con- use whatever means it conside- paign for independence among gressman Tydings introduced a red necessary to defend its eco- the people led by Albizu Cam- bill before the U.S. congress nomic, political and military in- pos. Violence was once again providing for self-determination terests in Puerto Rico. It was being used by the U.S. in order for the Puerto Rican people. clear that if the people of Puerto to frighten the Nationalists, who This bill was intended to frigh- Rico desired national liberation, were gaining more popular sup- ten certain local "leaders" and we would have to take it from port every day. The revol- other Puerto Ricans fearful of the United States through a long utionaries were not frightened the great economic difficulties and bitter struggle. This is as and the North Americans were which immediate independence true today as it was then. beginning to fear that their colo- would have brought to the is- nial domination might be over- land. The Tydings bill was an

19 ^i* ~s#

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PONCE MASSACRE ,OCTOBER 1937 THE MURDERERS OF THE PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE

By the end of 1936, most of granted permission for the de- ding the funerals of those who the national and local leaders of monstration to take place, but had been slaughtered, but the the Nationalist Party were being unknown to the people, the organization of the Nationalisl held in colonial prisons. There colonial governor, Gen. Blanton Party had been almost com- was a large movement among Winship, had intervened and pletely destroyed and more than the people demanding the re- overruled the mayor. Winship one thousand patriots had been lease of; Dr. Campos and the had been made governor when thrown in jail. The federal and other patriots being held in jail. Puerto Rican workers had been colonial governments had un- Finally the trial of Albizu Cam- organizing labor strikes through- leashed a campaign of terror pos took place and the first out the island. His mission had against the people but it was attempt to convict him ended in been to break the strikes and obvious that brute force was not failure. The jury, made up of restore "law and order". As the enough, various "reforms" were North Americans and Puerto Ri- people gathered for the start of being introduced including the cans could not come to a ver- the march, a large number of setting up of a Puerto Rican dict. THE PUERTO RICAN police appeared and surrounded Reconstruction Administration MEMBERS OF THE JURY the peaceful demonstration on which was supposed to deal with VOTED NOT GUILTY AND all sides. The chief of police told the economic and social misery THE NORTH AMERICANS the leaders that the mayor of on the island which had been VOTED FOR CONVICTION' the town had withdrawn the caused by the brutal exploita- After this, a new trial with a permission which he had given tion of the North American in- new jury was ordered. This new and the march had to be cancel- vaders. A North American "libe- jury was chosen in the palace of led. The people refused to give ral," Rexford Tugwell, was the colonial governor in the pre- in and continued to prepare for appointed as the new colonial sence of U.S. government offi- their demonstration. They began governor, promising a "New cials and was made up of 10 moving forward singing our na- Deal" for Puerto Ricans. But the NORTH AMERICANS AND tional anthem "La Borinquena". New PRRA programs failed be- TWO PUERTO RICANS WHO At this same time the police cause of corruption and a failure FAVORED CONTINUED U.S. opened fire on the demonstra- to understand the real causes of RULE. Albizu Campos was sen- tors killing 20 people and woun- our problems. Puerto Rico re- tenced to 10 years impri- ding 200 others. Women, old mained what it had always been, sonment and placed in the fe- people, young students and chil- a colony. This was clearly under- deral jail a* Atlanta, Georgia. dren were brutally murdered by stood by the people so the U.S. the colonial police for the crime had to find a new mask to cover On March 21, 1937, Palm of organizing a peaceful demon- up this fact in the eyes of the Sunday, a large public demonstration for the liberation of the people and of the world so that stration took place in Ponce, the political prisoners and the na- all might be fooled into belie- second largest city in the coun- tional independence of our ving that we actually had a voice try. The people were peacefully country. in determining the destiny of demanding the liberation of the our country. What the U.S. jailed Nationalist and the inde- This renewed campaign of re- needed was a Puerto Rican voice pendence of Puerto Rico. The pression could not prevent more to be its chief spokesman in ' mayor of the city had even than 25,000 people from atten- justifying our colonial status. 21 LUIS MUNOZ MARIN AND THE "COMMONWEALTH"

an enslaved nation. The "free american controlled newspapers elections" which made Munoz and radio stations began to de- Murin governor of Puerto Rico vote a large amount of space and and supported his concept of time to his campaign. Here was the "Commonwelath" stand as a the Puerto Rican Franklin Roo- good example to us of the fact sevelt, all things to all of the that no forms of "Democratic people. Friend of the U.S. and free choice" can exist inside of an advocate of continued co- a colonial system. When Munoz operation with imperialism, who Marin began his political cam- also promised bread, land and paign for the governorship in LIBERTY to the Puerto Rican 1948. he travelled throughout nation. Munoz Marin and his the island staging his "election supporters were never bothered campaign" under the slogan, by the FBI or the colonial police "For Bread. Land and Liberty". as were those who advocated Luis Munoz Marin, Traitor. IN HIS SPEECHES' MUNOZ independence and tried to ex- DECLARED THAT IF THE pose the hoax of these "Free Lui/. Munoz Marin was the PEOPLH VOTED FOR HIM IN- Elections". Since most of the perfect puppet needed to tigh- DEPENDENCE WOULD BE local and national leaders of the ten the grip of imperialism a- JUST AROUND THE COR- independence movement were in rouncl our island while at the NER. prison in the United States or same time trying to fool the Puerto Rico, their voice was people into believing that they The U.S. placed a great deal silenced and they were unable to were gaining greater freedom. of its power behind Munoz Ma- communicate with the people Here was a colonial politician rin's campaign. The colonial. and expose the fact that Munoz who had not as yet lost his prestige among the masses of the people. At the beginning of his political career, he had been a passionate advocate of independence. Famous as a poet and journalist he was also the son of Luis Munoz Rivera, who had been the first and only Prime Minister of Puerto Rico under the Autonomous Government under Spain. Like his father, Munoz Marin ended up by com- promising himself and our people by serving the North Ameri- can imperialism which they had at first opposed. The "Common- wealth" of Puerto Rico or "As- sociated Free State" is the product of Munoz Marin's betrayal of our nation to U.S. interests. It is a cover up designed to fool world public opinion and to cover up Puerto Rico's status as Munoz Marin campaigning to betray our country. 22 Marin and the U.S. were wor- Tierra y Liberdad" ("Bread, elections that our national libe- king hand in hand in the inte- Land and Liberty") served to ration will only be won through rests of continued North Ameri- confuse our people and put Mu- a revolutionary armed struggle can domination. In the "elec- noz Marin in office, but we have involving the masses of our peo- tion" of 1948, the slogan "Pan, learned after more than 70 years ple. of U.S Colonialism and colonial

JAYUYA AND ALBIZU CAMPOS' FINAL BATTLE

In 1947 Albizu Campos was wealth" betrayal, Munoz Marin after the colonial government released from the Federal peni- determined once and for all to declared martial law and proclai- tentiary in Atlanta. Although he crush the Nationalist Party and med a state of siege. Don Pedro was weak and sick from the all sentiments opposed to colo- was captured after a furious many tortures he had suffered in nial rule. Even though the Na- battle at the Nationalists Head- prison, he immediately began to tionalists had been planning for quarters in San Juan, overcome reorganize the Nationalist party an uprising to take place in by tear gas, but still holding a for a continuation of the inde- 1952, they were not yet prepa- gun in his hands. He was once pendence struggle. In 1948, the red for a revolutionary war. But again thrown into jail along with student's council of the Univer- the repressive policies of the many other Nationalists and the sity of Puerto Rico invited Albi- colonial government forced U.S. launched another wave of zu to give a lecture at the them to throw themselves into violent repressionagainst the University. The Rector, Jaime battle rather than wait and be Nationalist movement. Hun- Benitez, refused to allow the murdered in jails or shot in the dreds of Puerto Ricans were lecture to take place. The stu- back. being persecuted and impriso- dents protested and organized a ned, many were being assas- University strike which lasted On October 30, 1950, an armed sinated. As a form of reprisal, for 4 months. They lowered the insurrection broke out in the two Nationalist patriots, Oscar United States flag and raised the mountain town of Jayuya. The Collazo and Griselio Torres, left flag of Puerto Rico. The colonial colonial forces in the town were New York for Washington with police attacked and occupied driven out and once again, a the intention of killing Harry the University campus. Hun- Republic of Puerto Rico was Truman, then President of the dreds of students were mistrea- proclaimed. There were also ar- United States. In doing this they ted, wounded and imprisoned med uprisings in the towns of wanted to draw the world's at- and several professors who had Arecibo, Ponce, Mayaguez, tention to the crimes being com- spoken out in defense of the Utuado and San Juan, Aibonito, mitted in Puerto Rico by the students were expelled from the Cayey, Penuelas and others. The North American colonialists. University, removed from their United States Army and its re- They had planned to break offices and even thrown in jail. serve forces were ordered into through the White House and It soon became apparent that the streets to stamp out the shoot Truman, but he was not the colonial government headed uprising. Attacks were made on staying there at the time. They by the puppet Munoz Marin, the towns of Jayuya, Utuado shot it out with White House considered the Nationalist Party and others. The revolutionary guards, one of whom was killed. and its leader to be serious forces fought back courageously Griselio Torres was shot to obstacles towards their policies against the colonial police and death and Oscar Collazo was in support of U.S. colonialism. U.S. army but they were over- wounded and captured. Al- In order to fulfill the "Common- whelmed by superior numbers though they had failed to kill 23 The colonial authorities were driven out and the new Republic of Puerto Rico was proclaimed.

The U.S. and its colonial puppets began a violent campaign of terror against the Nationalist Party and all revolutionaries. f, 24,,' Hundreds of Puerto Rican patriots were persecuted, imprisoned and assasinated.

25 ... .ft Truman, the world was informed that the Puerto Rican people were not silently accepting the U.S. colonial terror. When word got back to the island about the death of Griselio Tor- res, schoolchildren and people from all walks of life spontane- ously began to collect money lor the dead patriot's widow and family.

In 1954, Lolita Lebron and three other Nationalist patriots travelled to Washington, this time to shoot U.S. congressmen. They wanted to draw attention to the fact that Albizu Campos was slowly being murdered in La Oscar Collazo lying wounded after the attempt on Truman's life

Princesa prison in San Juan. Although Don Pedro was seri- ously ill and suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage, he was being refused adequate medical treatment. Instead he was being given Cobalt ray treatments which could not cure his illness but only kill him day by day. The revolutionaries succeeded in wounding several congressmen in the House of Representatives chamber before being captured. In 1965, knowing that Don Pe- dro was near death, and not wanting him to die in prison, the colonial government released him. He died three months later.

The courageous actions of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico caused a vicious repression which forced it to go underground and almost destroyed it. The history of Albizu Campos and the Nationalist Party is one of great courage and self-sacrifice which will inspire all future Lolita Lebron. under arrest after shooting up the U.S. generations of Puerto Rican re- House of Representatives. volutionaries. 26 Puerto Rican revolutionaries under arrest, from left to right, Irving Flores, Rafael Miranda, Lolita Lebron, Andres Cordero.

Albizu never compromised until the day he died. 27 THE "COMMONWEALTH" OF PUERTO RICO

With Albizu Campos out of the way, the Nationalist Party shattered and a reign of terror directed against those people who supported independence, the U.S. imposed Public Law 600 in 1952. This created the "Commonwealth" or "Associa- ted Free State of Puerto Rico". This law made it legal for the Puerto Rican flag to be flown alongside the American flag from all public buildings, allowed our national anthem to be played on public occasions and in the schools only as long as the U.S. anthem was also played, and provided for some other superficial changes. -Puerto Ri- cans were then allowed to write a constitution which could be revised or changed by the U.S.

28 li.

congress. All North American ermination" and the "desire for citizenship and we were still laws remained in full force in permanent union with the U.S." forced to enter military service Puerto Rico. which had been expressed by in the U.S. army. We had no the people of Puerto Rico. The control over our customs, pos- The colonial government U.S. then asked that the United tal, monetary or judicial sys- organized a large campaign in Nations remove Puerto Rico tems, all final decisions in these favor of this law. Munoz Marin from its list of colonies and that areas still resting with U.S. insti- travelled throughout the coun- Puerto Rico be declared an auto- tutions. Before the imposition try declaring that anyone who nomous free country. The U.N. of the "Commonwealth" the opposed the Commonwealth at that time completely domi- U.S. controlled the issuing of and the phony referendum in nated by the United States, passports, radio and t.v., news- which the people were to vote agreed, refusing to even consider papers, and our trade, shipping for or against it, would be op- the arguments of the Puerto and migration laws. U.S. mili- posing our country's anthem Rican people themselves. tary bases occupied 13% of our and flag and would be for colo- best land. The most important nialism and an enemy of the Under the "Commonwealth", aspects of our national life were people. More than 50% qf the Puerto Rico could not enter into still controlled by North Ameri- eligible voters refused to even commercial relations with any can interests. None of this has vote but Munoz Marin spoke at other country other than the changed. great length about the "self-de- U.S. We could not have our own

THE WEALTH

29 OPERATION BOOTSTRAP AND THE GREAT MIGRATION

Operation Bootstrap was Mu- were invited to build factories performing backbreaking labor noz Mann's plan to supposedly on land which was given to them in the fields, and working for improve the standard of living free of charge. These companies wages and under inhuman condi- on the island by completely did not even have to pay taxes tions which the American wor- opening up Puerto Rico to U.S. on their profits for a period of kers would never stand for. investors. It is used by suppor- seventeen years, after which Many of these farm workers had ters of North American colo- they could continue to evade once farmed their own land nialism as an example of the paying by simply changing the which they had been cheated benefits of association with the company's name. Operation and robbed of by businessmen United States and the value of Bootstrap meant that Puerto and corporations which began to capitalist "free enterprise". Rico's workers would be paid acquire any way they could What is never mentioned by these people is the fact that the "economic miracle" which transformed our "poor and backward island" into a "Show- case of democracy" was nothing more than the complete sellout of our nation's human and natural resources for the profit of U.S. businessmen and a few Puerto Ricans ready to sell out their country for American dollars. Operation Bootstrap did increase the standard of living for a minority of people but the price we paid was the surrender of our national right to control our resources and develop an economy which would benefit ALL of our people.

The great "economic miracle" meant that the beaches of Puer- to Rico, among the most beautiful in the world, were given to Our people were driven off their land. American businessmen who built luxury tourist hotels which then employed our people as slave wages in comparison to what was left of our best and maids, busboys, dishwashers and what American workers would most fertile earth. Our people janitors. These hotels return earn in the U.S. for the same were driven off their land by the huge profits to these investors work. It meant that our people same invaders who had mur- while our own people are not were encouraged to become mi- dered and stolen the land of the allowed to even swim on their gratory farm workers, imported North American Indians. own beaches, the best of which into the U.S. by the thousands Our island was transformed into are owned by these hotels and to harvest the agricultural pro- an American plantation and which are used almost exclu- ducts which would be eaten by while some of our people had sively by rich North American North Americans at the cost of more food in their stomachs, the tourists. Operation Bootstrap our people being herded around price we paid was the loss of our' meant that U.S. corporations from farm to farm like animals, land and the enslavement of our 30 population in U.S. owned factories and industries. Puerto Rico became a "paradise" for the rich North American looking for pleasure and profit. Many of our young women were turned into prostitutes, our young men into pimps and drug addicts, all of which served the interests of the United States colonialism which must waeken and destroy our people in every way imaginable in order to maintain its control

Still there were too many hungry and discontented people in Puerto Rico who might rise up and cause "trouble". They were encouraged to migrate to the U.S. in search of the beautiful future offered by the "Amer-

31 fered; "By 1949 the U.S. knew that it was going to war in Korea. Where else could the U.S. get cheap labor in the hundreds of thousands but in Puerto Rico to fill the low paying unskilled jobs in the sweatshops while the U.S. put its war machinery into high gear to support the Korean War? They took our young men to Korea and our women and beautiful children to New York City, Chicago, Connecticut, Jer- sey City and Hoboken to oil that war machinery with our flesh and blood and to cater to the needs of the Establishment for dishwashers, bootshiners, prostitutes, yes prostitutes, because this society completely broke up our family structure, this society tried to crush our inherent Puerto Rican pride, this society transformed a pleasant healthy human being into a street fighter, a hustler, it transformed the Puerto Ricans into packs of roaming wandering tribes that were forced to ally on' the streets of New York as "gangs" as a means of keeping their identity and protecting their little communities against the viciousness of their North American "hosts" who thought of Puerto Ricans as cultureless, wild, uncivilized, dirty and im- lean Dream". We were told that society which threw us into gar- moral animals. The abuse only everyone was rieh in the U.S.. ment center sweatshops and ended when the Puerto Ricans that no one went hungry and humiliated those who could not in New York started to fight there were plenty of good jobs, even get that kind of "work" by back against the North Ameri- money to he made and the good providing us with so-called "wel- cans who were continually de- life. Our people left the colonial fare" to keep us quiet. A grading and humiliating us. "paradise" by the hundreds of society which tried to erase When we began to fight back thousands, not because of any from our children's minds our was when the oppressors began great love for North Americans language and culture in the pub- to understand that the Puerto or their "way of life" but be- lic schools, a society which at- Rican was not going to be cause they were^ offered some tempted to commit genocide pushed around any longer." hope for a decent life in the against us while telling us how "land of opportunity". What did proud we should be that we "The children of the 50's are we find? We found ourselves were "Americans". One of our out in the streets now. We are living in foul, overcrowded people who grew up during this going to free Puerto Rico and all slums where many of us slept period of our history recalls the Puerto Ricans whether in the seven or eight in one room in a pain and misery which we suf- U.S. or on the island. We are 32 committed to this struggle for freedom. The North American white in New York, Chicago, Bridgeport, Newark, knows that not one Puerto Rican will take an insult without hitting back. The U.S. government has taken our most prized possession, our Nationhood, we want it back. We will get it back. The time for crying about past atrocities committed against us is over. This decade of the seventies will see Puerto Rico Free. The alter- native is that the children of the 50's and the 60's will be dead. That's like it is. FREEDOM AT ANY PRICE. North American colonialist capitalism will pay eye for eye both for ourselves and for all oppressed people".

Munoz Marin and other Puer- to Rican bootlickers have pro- ven themselves to be traitors to present and future generations of Puerto Ricans who have seen our nation sold out, our people betrayed and made to feel like strangers in their own country. The phony "Commonwealth" relationship has provided a legal mask for the continuation of U.S.' political, military and economic control of our Nation. Operation Bootstrap provided a legal mask for the wholesale takeover of all of our natural and human resources. The fact that we are still here, Puerto Rican and Proud, teaches us a great deal about the strength and will to survive of the Puerto Rican Nation.

33 A BRIEF SUMMARY ABOUT THE PRESENT SITUATION

ALL POWER TO T PEOPLI

The death of Albizu Campos and the suppression of the Na- tionalist Party has not ended the liberation struggle. On the con- trary, Puerto Rico has given birth to a number of organizations and groups wliich are dedicated to overthrowing the stranglehold of U.S. colonialism on our nation. Organizations like MPKPRO INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT), the Young Lords Party, El Comite, Resistencia Puertoriquena, Puerto Rican Students Union, FUPI and others have intensified their efforts to unite the revolutionary struggle on the island with the struggle which our people are waging in the U.S. We are creating a Puerto Rican revolutionary consciousness which will unite all of our people, no matter where they live and create a mass revolutionary struggle involving all of our oppressed people. Groups like CAL- (Commandos of Armed Libera- Puerto Ricans are fed up in the streets of New York. 34 ...and Puerto Rico tion) and MIRA (Armed Revo- ple of Culebra, (one of our complete the absolute takeover lutionary Independence Move- offshore islands) to kick the of our Nation by the United ment), have taken the road of U.S. navy, which has been using States and it would be only a underground armed struggle, the island for artillery practice, matter of time before our peo- bombing and attacking U.S. con- off their land. Large numbers of ple would die out as a Nation, trolled places of business and young Puerto Ricans have refu- just as the Indians died out after other symbols of North Ameri- sed induction into the U.S. the Spanish conquest. Puerto can Colonialism. These growing army, defying the U.S. govern- Rico would be made into ano- armed attacks have forced many ment and making it clear that ther Hawaii where the native U.S. enterprises to go out of the fight is at home, for the people have become a small mi- business and has reduced the liberation of our island. nority in their own country. number of tourists coming to The people are becoming in- This is called genocide, but we the island. There have been creasingly militant in their op- will not allow it to happen. numerous battles between colo- position to the United States Pu erto Rico will be free because nial police and students at the and its puppets attempt to wipe we understand what is happe- University over issues relating to out any trace of a Puerto Rican ning to us and we are prepared the U.S. domination of our consciousness. The most recent to fight for the rest of our lives country and numerous students colonial governor, Luis Ferre, a to free our nation. The fear of and puppet police have been rich businessman, has taken to independence which has been killed and wounded in these making his speeches in English promoted by the U.S. and its battles. The people are taking and he is openly campaigning Puerto Rican puppets is disap- matters into their own hands as for Puerto Rico to be made into pearing We know that standing witness the struggle of the peo- an American state. This would on our own feet after centuries 35 The vicious colonial terror continues. The people retaliate.

of colonial domination will not Luis Ferre, Arch Traitor be easy, nothing that is good and worth fighting for ever is. But we know that we are not alone in our struggle, millions of people throughout the world are waging the same war for national liberation and socialism. The future is with us and people like ourselves who constitute the majority of all mankind, Cubans. Chinese, Vietnamese, Algerians, all of us fighting the same enemy and building a new world where the few will not profit off the work of the many and all of the people will share the wealth and resources which until now have been controlled by a small part of Humanity. PUERTO RICO AND ALL OPPRESSED ENEMY OF THE PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE AND COLONIZED PEOPLE WILL BE FREE!!!

37 oc

AS OUR SOME FACTS CONCERNING THE REAL PUERTO RICO

39 THE MILITARY POLICE-STATE

In order to maintain its colon- other military personnel sta- throughout the Caribbean and ial domination over our country, tioned in bases throughout our Latin America. Our country is the U.S. maintains a very large country. All combined this adds used as an anti-Cuba, where political and military force. The up to over 100,000 government troops from many oppressed na- colonial police force is 15,000 police agents and soldiers on a tions are trained to suppress strong and growing every year. small island with a population of other popular uprisings against The combined forces of the FBI, 2,800,000. U.S. colonialism and imperia- CIA, the Agency for Internal lism. In the event of the U.S. security and the Criminal Inves- Puerto Rico is not only eco- becoming involved in an atomic tigations Corps amount to more nomically and politically exploi- war, Puerto Rico would be an than 1,500 men. The U.S. Na- ted, the island -has also been important strategic target for tional Guard and the Air Natio- transformed into a giant U.S. retaliation, paying the price for nal Guard have a force of more military base with \3% of our wars and actions which are made than 15,000 men in Puerto best land being used as military in the U.S.A. Not only are our Rico. The U.S. also maintains bases. Puerto Rico has become a people and our island exploited units of the Reserve Corps of part of the U.S. atomic arsenal in every way, we are also being the U.S. army in our country without the consent of our peo- used as a tool against other totaling more than 20,000 sol- ple. Puerto Rico has also been people fighting, as we are figh- diers. There are also more than used as a convenient staging area ting, for their national libera- 50,000 soldiers, marines and against liberation struggles tion. 40 C" *' One of the U.S. industrial plants which exploit our workers.

ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION

The U.S. does not exploit country for their own profit. The average profit for these Puerto Rico only for its stratetic companies in Puerto Rico is well military value. The economic As a result of their tax exemp- over double the amount that can control of our Island's resources tion and the low wages paid to be obtained in the U.S. itself. by american corporations 'pro- the Puerto Rican workers, the The average pay of a Puerto duces great profits for U.S. busi- U.S. corporations and investors Rican industrial worker is one ness while at the same time gain a yearly tax-free profit of half to one third of what a exhausting Puerto Rico's natural 28% on the money they invest. worker in the U.S. makes. With and human resources. Under the This means that for every that kind of low pay the Puerto so-called "Economic Encou- $1,000 invested, the company is Rican industrial worker is faced ragement Plan" the U.S. com- guaranteed a profit of $280.00! with a cost of living in Puerto panies in our country do not pay taxes on their new industries for a period of 10 to 17 years. The North American companies usually close their factories when the end of the legal tax exemption approaches and then simply reopen them under another name. In this manner, they can indefinitely avoid paying taxes. The colonial government not only allows these companies to avoid taxation but even grants them loans, trains workers and builds factories for them according to the specifi- cations of the investors. These factories are then leased to the investors for a small fee and the government recruits the workers for them. In short, the "Com- monwealth" government openly welcomes and helps the North American investors who are only interested in exploiting our Puerto Ricans pay more and get less. 41 Rico which is 25% higher than have turned their back on the which it has to import from the in the U.S. One indication of workers and sold themselves out U.S. and other countries, but this is the fact that U.S. govern- to North American interests. the policy of the "Common- ment employees in Puerto Rico wealth" government and U.S. receive higher wages to make up The U.S. exercises a profi- exploiters is to maintain the for the island's higher cost.of table control over our contry's island as a profitable market, living. economy. Puerto Rico is the source of cheap exploitable la- fifth largest market for U.S. bor, military base, tourist attrac- The low wages paid to our products in the world. In 1966 tion for wealth Americans, and a workers is a deliberate policy of for example, U.S. exports to rich source of natural resources our "Commonwealth" govern- Puerto Rico amounted to almost for U.S. industry. Puerto |6co is ment and the U.S. Our cheap a billion and a half dollars. thus prevented from developing labor allows the U.S. investors Restrictions imposed by the it's own merchant shipping, agri- to make large profits while at "Commonwealth" government culture, fishing industry, etc., the same time contrplling the and the U.S. prevent us from anything which might damage phony trade unions which serve trading with other nations of the the U.S. monopoly of our eco- the corporation's and not the world on a basis of equality. nomic resources. worker's interests. Most of these Puerto Rico is capable of produ- unions are run by people who cing many of the products

PHONY INDUSTRIALIZATION

Is Puerto Rico an industria- exported to foreign markets. If ported. Those industries are de- lized country as the U.S. claims? foreign trade decreases then veloped whichfit in with the The majority of industries in these companies close their fac- country's climate and natural Puerto Rico produce raw mater- tories. If not they continue to resources so that the country ials or semi-finished products operate in Puerto Rico. On the can meet its own needs and which are mainly for export. other hand, industrial enter- export the surplus. In this way There are practically no indus- prises which would help to make the country earns foreign cur- tries which produce raw mater- the Puerto Rican economy more rency which enables it to buy ials or finished products for the independent of American con- machinery and other industrial Island's consumption. The Gene- trol are not developed. (As a products which it cannot yet ral Electric Co., General Motors, matter of fact, Puerto Rico finds manufacture. Sunbeam Enterprises, etc. have itself importing products which factories in Puerto Rico which used to be plentiful and pro- Can a country which pro- process raw materials and turn duced on the island such as duces tobacco but does not out products which are used by coffee, platinos, pineapples, let- manufacture cigarettes, pro- other industries as raw materials. tuce. Even sugar, which was duces coffee but has to import This type of industry accounts once a basic Puerto Rican indus- ground coffee, produces sugar for the majority of industrial try, is in shorter supply and cane but has to import refined enterprises in Puerto Rico but it increasingly expensive!)The "in- sugar, be considered industria- does not make Puerto Rico eco- dustrialization" of Puerto Rico lized? Puerto Rico, which has nomically independent. It does is a myth. A country is industri- large salt mines, has to import just the opposite since most of alized with the goal of achieving salt. Puerto Rico with great the basic materials used in ma- greater economic independence amounts of fish off its coastal nufacturing are imported and by its cheaply manufacturing waters has to import most of its the products themselves are then products which can also be ex- seafood. Only a poorly informed 42 person would say that a country :can be industrially developed by '.destroying and discouraging the 'industries which our country .would naturally be able to devel- jop. Yet this is what is happening 'because as a colony of the Uni-' • ted States, Puerto Rico's inte- * rests are secondary to the profits j.of North American corporations. ,f\3 .-^»&»

Tabacco farm and siioar plantation.

85% of the money invested in our country comes from foreign interests. 85% of the industries belong to American companies. 50% of the shops are owned by l^PPH foreign capitalists. 40% of our mm m 'M^\ i agriculture is controlled by North American companies. An independent country can pro- tect its economy, develop it and prevent its control by foreign interests. Puerto Rico as a colonized nation, does not have this power. Tourist Paradise.

HUNGER ...MISERY ...AND SELF-DESTRUCTION

The "Commonwealth" and Forty percent of the existing than 80,000 young people bet- U.S. governments are attempting housing in Puerto Rico is consi- ween the ages of 14 and 21 to create the impression both in dered by the Colonial Health years of age who were out of and outside of Puerto Rico that Department as "Unsuitable for school and had been unable to our island is a paradise where habitation". The government is finish high school. the people enjoy "liberty", "a not too disturbed about the fact high standard of living" and that our people have to live The public debt of govern- "happiness'. under these conditions. But the ment and its agencies is over 600 "Commonwealth" government million dollars. This is more But let us examine this para- does pay much attention to and than $250 for every person in dise. Thirty-five percent of the offers great encouragement to our country. Private debt is people of Puerto Rico must re- the building of huge luxury ho- more than SI, 100 million dol- ceive charity or welfare so that tels for wealthy American tou- lars, an average of S420 dollars they can stay alive. Unemploy- rists and housing for the middle per person. The total of Pu erto ment affects 14'7 of the work and upper classes. But our peo- Rico's public and private debt is force of 700.000. this is a total ple living in the slums and the over S1.700 million dollars. This of l)8.000 people unemployed. countryside are ignored. The co- total represents an average debt There are more than 100.000 lonial politicans only visit the of S670.00 for each Puerto Ri- people under-employed. These slums and countryside once can. To pay off these debts the include agricultural workers who every four years when it's elec- colonial government collects work on the sugar cane and tion time, time to fool the peo- some of the world's highest other harvests and are unem- pie. taxes while at the same time. ployed more than six months of North American investors enjoy the year. Altogether. 28rr of the In a recent research project tax-free facilities. working force is out of work for (January 1969). the Puerto Ri- six months and \4'< are unem- can Department of Education ployed for the whole year. discovered that there were more 44 f- This is the real Paradise for many „,' our people. ...and self-destruction.

All of the evils of a rotting society, theft, prostitution, drugs, etc., flourish in Puerto Rico. In our country, one person out of 50 is a drug addict according to information published some time ago by the New York Times. It is mostly our young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who are affected. The thousands and thousands of school dropouts or the "kicked out" of the educational system, the young people who could potentially become the dynamite that will destroy the system, instead destroy themselves. Prostitution flour- ishes where the U.S. military bases and tourist centers are located. This violence which we inflict upon ourselves is the direct product of being a colonized people. 46 THE COLONIAL SYSTEM OF MISEDUCATIOIM

The educational system in Puer- the educational system practices As a way of testing this sys- to Rico is designed to confuse racial and social discrimination tem, you might ask one hundred and mis-educate our young peo- against all poor Puerto Ricans. students chosen at random, who ple into believing the American Up until the 1940's, english was liberated the African Slaves in version of our history, culture the only language used in the Puerto Rico. A large number and colonial situation. The aim schools. Because of the persis- would answer Abraham Lincoln. is to create generations of Puer- tent struggle of our people in And they would give this answer to Ricans who are dependent on the defense of our national lan- in spite of the fact that they the UJ^^nd ^ungware of their guage, the colonial authorities know that Lincoln was President true n itional identity. The main and the North Americans were of the U.S. in the 1860's when purpoi ,e of the so-called Puerto forced to re-establish education Puerto Rico was still a Spanish Rican educational system is to in Spanish in all the public colony. They answer Lincoln create a feeling of powerlessness schools in the colony. This of because they have no idea and "nferiority in our nation. course lid not apply to the liberated the slaves in Puerto From the beginning our children private s;hools. Rico and they are fooled into 816 ta ught by the colonial go- believing that Puerto Rico has vernm ent that »puerto Rico is English s a compulsory subject always been a U.S. "protecto- very s mall and unimportant and in all tht schools and universities rate". Our students grow up that * he "U.S. is very rich and in Puero Rico. Although the knowing that George Washing- Power, ful» Puerto Rico is a other sujjects are taught in Spa- ton was the first President of the weak dot in the ocean, the U.S. nish, th majority of the text- U.S. and that he "never told a k a ' arge and strong country, books ued are printed in Eng- lie". But they are denied the uiisb .Ib'Puerto Rican student is facts concerning Puerto Rico's forced to study mathematics, own great men and women pat- In this manner, the oppressor algebra, biology, medicine, etc. riots. This is the way a colonial attempts to cripple our minds from textbooks published in "educational" system is sup- and produce a sense of inferio- English when they could be posed to function. It creates a rity and dependence upon the using perfectly adequate Spanish colonized mentality which . U.S. which becomes part of our texts. But English, being the makes it easier to exploit us and national mentality. In the language of a superior culture is meant to finally eliminate us schools, the colonialist teachers and world power, is preferred to as a nation, as a people. This is emphasize the superior culture, our native Spanish which is ob- called genocide, but the U.S. history and power of the U.S. viously inferior and the language and its bootlickers call it "Com- while ignoring our own history, of a "weak and small nation". monwealth" and "progress". culture and position in the Th e use of English textbooks is world. This situation in the pub- the cause of great mental torture Yanquis si, Puerto Rico no lic schools is even worse in the for our young people and pre- this is the motto of the Puerto private church schools. In the vents them from truly becoming Rican system of miseducation. church schools, instruction is in as well educated in their field of But Puerto Rico continues to be english. This is not surprising study as they would be if they a Spanish speaking Latin Ameri- because these schools were crea- did not have to constantly strug- can country with its own his- ted to serve the needs of the gle with this foreign language. tory, culture and traditions. colonial bureaucrats who did The result is that our students They will not succeed in erasing not want their children to mix almost never acquire a thorough us from the rest of the world, with the "colored" or poor knowledge of English, Spanish, WE WILL BE FREE!! white children who attend the Physics, mathematics, history, public schools. In other words etc. 47

_ I

"Para quitarnos la Patria...primero tie- nen que quitarnos la vida."

"Donde la tirania es ley-afirmo-la revolucion es orden."

"To take our country, first they have to take our lives."

"Where tyranny is the law, revolution is the order of the day."

DON PEDRO ALBIZU CAMPOS •'j quiero colonia ni con Espania ni C(Estados Unidos. Quiero mi Patria H\, independiente y soberana. Que h?i los Puertorriquenos que no se rein?"

'I don't want a colony, not with Spain or the United States. I want my country Free, Independent and Sovereign. "Why don't th; Puerto Ricans revolt?"

RAMON EMETERIO BETANCES PADRE DE LA PATRIA