Why is Obama Ignoring Pleas to Release Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera?

[Judi Lynn]

June 1, 2016
Why is Obama Ignoring Pleas to Release Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera?

by Matt Peppe

Two and a half months ago, asked by award-winning playwright Lin-Manuel Mirandaabout imprisoned Puerto Rican nationalist Oscar López Rivera – whose only crime, according to Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, is “conspiracy to free his people from the shackles of imperial justice” – President Barack Obama told the Hamilton creator that he “had [the case] on his desk.” Miranda, whose parents hail from Puerto Rico, used his invitation to the White House to bring up the issue of López Rivera’s continued incarceration, which is of tremendous importance to Puerto Ricans. Both on the island and in the diaspora, freedom for the 73-year-old political prisoner enjoys overwhelming popular support and has united people across the political spectrum.

Sunday marked the 35th anniversary that López was imprisoned. He was convicted in 1981 of “seditious conspiracy” for trying to overthrow the U.S. government by force, as well as minor charges including possession of firearms and transporting stolen vehicles across state lines. López was acussed of holding a leadership position in the FALN (Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertoriqqueña), a Puerto Rican nationalist organization, which he did not admit to but did not dispute. The group claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in Chicago and New York during the 1970s and 1980s, though as the Chicago Tribune noted the bombings were carried out “to damage property rather than persons” and the FALN “were out to call attention to their cause rather than to shed blood.”

López was never personally tied to any bombing or any other act of violence that resulted in the death or injury of any person. Undoubtedly, if the government possessed any evidence of his participation in, or organization of, a violent act they would have charged him with it in court. But they merely charged him with conspiracy to commit sedition, the same political charged used by the apartheid South African government to convict Nelson Mandela two decades earlier. López has now served seven more years in prison than Mandela did before being freed and becoming South Africa’s first post-apartheid President.

. . .

But Puerto Rican Governor Alejandro García Padilla and much of the Puerto Rican public are opposed to what they see as an overt imposition of colonialism by allowing unelected technocrats not representative of – or accountable to – the Puerto Rican people to hold veto power over spending decisions, and even decrease the minimum wage.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/06/01/why-is-obama-ignoring-pleas-to-release-political-prisoner-oscar-lopez-rivera/

Good Reads:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016159071

[FBaggins]

1. Because he isn't a political prisoner

He's a convicted criminal who was offered clemency years ago - but was unwilling to renounce terrorism.

Beyond ironic to hear a defender of the Maduro regime having the guts to even bring up the topic of political prisoners.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Oscar López Rivera, imprisoned for "conspiracy":

Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_L%C3%B3pez_Rivera

Calls for his release[edit]

The continued imprisonment of Oscar López Rivera has been opposed by the Puerto Rican community in the United States, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere.[64][65][66][67]

His release has been demanded by 10 Nobel Peace Prize winners, Coretta Scott King, President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Senator Bernie Sanders as well as an international coalition of human rights, and religious, labor, and business leaders including the United Council of Churches of Christ, United Methodist Church, Baptist Peace Fellowship, Episcopal Church of Puerto Rico, and the Catholic Archbishop of San Juan.[6][64][65][66][67][68][69][70]

2010[edit]

In 2010, the Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, officially requested López Rivera's release.[71]

2013[edit]

In 2013, several high-profile manifestations took place in Puerto Rico on behalf of Oscar López Rivera. These were attended by the highest levels of Puerto Rican government, politicians from all political parties, prominent Puerto Rican artists, singers, actors, Major League baseball players, and hundreds of other people.[72][73][74][75]

Several U.S. congressmen, as well as the Governor of Puerto Rico, have also shown their support for his release, asking the President of the United States for it.[10][12][14][74]

On 29 May 2013, on the 32nd anniversary of López Rivera's continuous incarceration, high-ranking officials, former prison personnel, singers, actors, Major League baseball players, and hundreds of other volunteers participated in mock-up prison cell events throughout Puerto Rico calling for the release of López Rivera from the American prison system.[75] In addition, several U.S. Congressmen have shown their support for his release from prison, with a few contacting President Obama asking for his release.[10][12][14]

In a manifestation of solidarity for the release of López Rivera, numerous volunteers participated in a 24-hour demonstration where they remained confined to 6 ft x 9 ft mock-up prison cells intended to represent López Rivera's current cell size in Terre Haute, Indiana. The demonstrations took place on 29 May 2013 at the central squares of Puerto Rico's four largest cities, San Juan, Ponce, Mayagüez, and Arecibo.[64][67] Some of the volunteers included politicians, like María de Lourdes Santiago, a Puerto Rican senator,[76] musicians, like Tito Auger,[76] and actors, like Ángela Meyer.[76]

Others entering the mock-up cells were pro-Statehood party Ponce mayor María Meléndez, writer Mayra Montero, San Juan pro-Commonwealth party mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, former Puerto Rico governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, and former Major Leagues baseball player Carlos Delgado.[74]

On that same day hundreds of activists, including pop star Ricky Martin, asked for his release from prison.[72][73] The governor of Puerto Rico, Alejandro García Padilla, also joined the call for López Rivera's release, communicating his request by letter to President Barack Obama.[74] His release is also supported by Congressmen Luis Gutiérrez and José E. Serrano, as well as by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez.

2014[edit]

A group of young students and workers in Spain joined the international demand for the release of Oscar López Rivera. From 28 February 2014 until 1 April 2014 the Comite 33 días por la excarcelación de Oscar informed the population resident in Spain about the violation of human rights that the U.S. government has committed against López Rivera. In addition, they collected signatures to ask U.S. President Barack H. Obama to grant him a presidential pardon.[66]

In March 2014 the Mexican pop singer Cristian Castro joined the international demand for López Rivera's release.[65]

In early June 2014 the Speaker of the New York City Council, Melissa Mark-Viverito, officially supported the release of Oscar López Rivera.[77]

On 6 June 2014 in New York City, radio station WBAI 99.5 FM conducted a half-hour news and interview segment on Oscar López Rivera. The radio segment was conducted by Howard Jordan, the host of the show.[78]

On 7 June 2014, Miguel Cotto and José Pedraza called for the release of Oscar López Rivera, lending their prestige as champion fighters hailing from Puerto Rico. Miguel Cotto is the middleweight champion of the world and the first Puerto Rican to be the world boxing champion in four different weight classes. The two fighters appeared with “Free Oscar López Rivera” shirts in the ring at Madison Square Garden, and Pedraza previously wore the shirt in a fight in Puerto Rico.[79]

On 8 June 2014, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade paid tribute to Oscar López Rivera. On that day, a contingent in support of his release marched in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. A week earlier, the June 1 march in Bronx, NYC was also dedicated to Oscar López Rivera.[79]

2016[edit]

On 16 May 2016 Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders publicly tweeted, "Oscar Lopez Rivera has served 34 years in prison for his commitment to Puerto Rico's independence. I say to President Obama: let him out."

[80]

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[FBaggins]

3. With all that text you spammed you limited it to just "conspiracy" (in quotes of course)?

"López Rivera was convicted and sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for seditious conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery,[5] interstate transportation of firearms,[5] and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property.[4] In 1988 he was sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison for conspiring to escape from prison."

Lopez Rivera was the bomb-maker for the Chicago cell of a terrorist organization (that did set off bombs in Chicago - including one at a theater that injured several people). His indictment involved hundreds of sticks of dynamite and two separate residences in his name that contained bomb-making equipment. He was later convicted in the planning of two failed prison escape attempts. These were not "tunnel under the wall" plans... they included heavily-armed men, explosives, and a helicopter.

He has previously been offered clemency and refused because he would not reject terrorism... he has also rejected parole hearings.