Lopez was arrested and convicted in 1981 for 55 years, under charges of conspiracy against the state, after authorities found a bomb factory in an apartment allegedly belonging to him. As Puerto Rican student activist Victor Torres Rodriguez explained to teleSUR, “The issue has been progressively understood as a human rights issues. Even people favoring the annexation of Puerto Rico from the U.S. are in favor of the liberation of Lopez.” The Uruguayan President Mujica requested, in an open letter to President Obama earlier this month, the liberation of the Cuban Five and the end of the Cuban blockade, as well as the liberation of Lopez Rivera. A week after Mujicas plea, President Obama announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba and released the remaining two agents of the Cuban Five. “Several Latin American media outlets have raised the issue of Lopez Rivera and have created awareness, thus pressuring the U.S. government ... Many of them have also linked the case of the Cuban Five with Oscar Lopez Rivera, and some activists also linked the story of (Nelson) Mandela with the case of the Puerto Rican independence prisoner,” added Torres.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 13:32:50 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015