These are the 17 Puerto Rican independence fighters who are locked up in U.S. prisons today. U.S. president William Clinton should free all 17 of these political prisoners now, with no conditions attached. That demand should be raised more loudly today in light of statements by the White House that some of the prisoners may be granted a presidential "pardon" - if they publicly renounce "violence" and submit to other onerous parole conditions such as not meeting with other independence activists.
The 17 have been imprisoned for the "crime" of acting and speaking on behalf of the independence of Puerto Rico. The freedom of these political prisoners deserves the support of working people and all those who champion justice, regardless of their views on Puerto Rico's independence.
The independentistas, smeared by Washington as "terrorists," are serving prison sentences ranging up to 105 years; most have already served between 14 and 19 years. They are among the longest held political prisoners in the world.
The fact the Clinton administration is now talking about releasing the Puerto Rican political prisoners is a sign of its weakness, not strength. The fight to get the U.S. Navy out of the island of Vieques, which has exploded on the political scene over the past few months, has put Washington and the colonial authorities somewhat on the defensive. That fight is the most recent expression of the renewed struggle for national rights unfolding in Puerto Rico today. This nationalist upsurge - which is giving the independence movement the biggest hearing in many years - is intertwined with growing working-class resistance, seen most visibly in last year's general strike of half a million workers. As a result of these political changes, the campaign to free the Puerto Rican political prisoners has picked up strength.
The Clinton administration's offer of "amnesty" is designed to undercut the momentum both of the defense campaign for the political prisoners and of the fight around Vieques. The jailed independentistas have nothing to ask forgiveness about - much less of Washington, which has kept Puerto Rico under its colonial boot for 101 years.
Taking advantage of the U.S. government's signs of weakness, now is the time to intensify the struggle for the release of all 17 political prisoners, including the most recent one, José Solís, who only last month was sentenced to 51 months on fabricated charges. With the growing working- class struggles in the United States, conditions have never been more favorable to involve fighting workers and farmers, as well as young people, in the defense campaign. Supporters of the release of the Puerto Rican prisoners are urging a big turnout at an August 29 march in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Protest actions are also needed in the United States to demand: free them all now!