At midday today, nine US Presidents appeared in front of Puerto Rico’s Capitol building wearing t-shirts that read “Freedom for Oscar Lopez NOW”.

These Presidents are aligning themselves with the calls from many political, social, and religious sectors calling for the release from prison of Oscar Lopez.

This act of protest was organized by a group of persons calling for the release from prison of the Puerto Rican political prisoner. During this particular act of protest, the statues of Presidents Ford, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklyn Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson, and Obama wore a shirt demanding the freedom of the political prisoner that now marks 31 years in prison for his struggle in favor of Puerto Rico’s freedom: Oscar Lopez Rivera.

Oscar Lopez, who turned 69 years old last January 6th, along with Carlos Alberto Torres, were the only Puerto Rican political prisoners who were not released under conditional pardon as part of a campaign for the liberation of the Puerto Rican political prisoners that occurred in 1999. “Currently, Oscar is the Puerto Rican political prisoner that has spent the most time in prison in this hemisphere”, said Edwin Cortes, a former political prisoner who served 16 years for the same accusations and was released in 1999.

The group believes that when there are men and women that are willing to surrender that which is most valuable - their freedom and even their lives - for a cause like the independence of Puerto Rico, they demonstrate a genuine commitment to their country and to life. “In Puerto Rico, although some may disagree, we recognize persons such as Pedro Albizu Campos, Lolita Lebron, and Rafael Cancel Miranda due to their love of country. In the same way we honor figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr and Mahatma Gandhi, who were imprisoned for the struggle for greater rights in society. It is because of them that we should look at the case of Oscar Lopez from another perspective”, said Anibal Lopez Correa, part of the group of protesters.

“Even when there are differences in ideological vision, the case of Oscar is beyond this, it is up to us as a people to demand justice and his immediate release. It is time to bring Oscar home,” said Raquel Delgado Valentin, one of the members of the group.

Groups working for the release of Lopez have denounced the constant manipulation of the case by the federal government.

The demands for the liberation of the Puerto Rican prisoner have intensified during recent years due to, among other factors, the election of the first African American to the Presidency of the United States. Diverse political and social groups believe that since Obama is part of a group that had to struggle to have its rights respected means that he must be more conscious of the violations of human rights that exist in maintaining Oscar Lopez behind bars. “Oscar is not an ordinary prisoner because his actions were motivated by great feelings of love for his country”, said Delgado Valentin.

Obama has in his hands the opportunity to sign a pardon for the political prisoners and prisoners of war and grant the freedom of Oscar Lopez the same way his predecessors Clinton and Carter did. “It is absurd that a government like that of the United States glorify itself with its defense of liberty and democracy, while maintaining Oscar Lopez in prison, denying him parole and forcing him to serve an additional 12 years of an unjust sentence,” said Abderraman Brenes Larroche, one of the protesters.

The group has demanded that the liberation of Oscar Lopez become a priority in the agenda of those who believe in justice, democracy, and the decolonization of Puerto Rico. “This is an issue of human rights, simple as that”, declared Delgado Valentin.

Raquel Delgado Valentín - 787-633-0657

Aníbal Yariel López Correa - 787-601-8826

Abderramán Brenes Larroche