Oscar López Rivera on U.S. Colonialism After Hurricane Maria - 28:03
written by building bridges radio
at Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Oscar López Rivera on U.S. Colonialism After
Hurricane Maria
Oscar López Rivera has been called the Nelson Mandela of Puerto Rico. Indeed, like the South African legend, Rivera was imprisoned for his anti-colonial activism and spent decades in prison. But in January 2017, after serving 35 years of his 70-year sentence, President Barack Obama, as one of his last acts in office,
commuted Rivera’s sentence. In May 2017 Oscar López Rivera
was a free man.
Oscar López Rivera has become a symbol of resistance to people the world over and became one of the longest serving political prisoners in the world. Among those who spoke out for his release were Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope Francis, Senator Bernie Sanders, playwright Lin Manuel Miranda and others. Organizers of the 2017 National Puerto Rican Day Parade designated him as
the National Freedom Hero. Recently Lopez Rivera sat down
with Building Bridges’ Mimi Rosenberg, to discuss his
frustration and anger with the American government, detailing how Puerto Ricans have been treated
since the Caribbean island became an unincorporated territory of the United
States in 1898. He
lamented that Puerto Ricans “are still a colonized people
120 years later,” Lopez Rivera said, “Puerto Ricans didn’t ask for citizenship; we
didn’t want it. Since being colonized, Puerto Ricans haven’t been treated as
humans; we have been marginalized, exploited and used by the United States who
wanted our sugar cane and to create military bases.” Lopez Rivera said
there are two things he knows how to do best- struggle and work. He stated
multiple times that he has never advocated any form of violence and this “fight for
independence” must be an act of love. “People who love freedom and justice
should care about Puerto Rico,” Lopez Rivera emphasized. “We have the potential to
be a free nation, but it’s up to us. We will struggle and do what needs to be
done.” Lopez Rivera also spoke at length about Hurricane Maria and the humanitarian
crisis taking place. Although it struck September 20, 2017, there are still
more than 400,000 people without power. More than 550 residents were killed, and
others are still missing. Maria is considered the worst natural disaster to ever
strike the area.
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