PHILADELPHIA — Rafael Cancel Miranda, a leader of Puerto Rico’s independence struggle who spent 28 years in U.S. prisons, was the honored guest at a dinner event here Sept. 28 commemorating the 145th anniversary of El Grito de Lares (Battle Cry of Lares). On Sept. 23, 1868, a revolt in the town of Lares raised the banner for Puerto Rican independence from Spain and abolition of slavery. The event of some 200 people was sponsored by the National Boricua Human Rights Network and the Impacto Latino newspaper. It promoted the campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, who has been incarcerated in the U.S. for more than 32 years. Behind Cancel Miranda, speaking above, is a painting of López. Alicia Rodríguez, a Puerto Rican independence fighter who was framed up and imprisoned for 19 years also spoke. Greetings from Ricardo Alarcón, president of Cuba’s National Assembly from February 1993 to February this year, were read by Luis Sanabria of the El Grito de Lares Committee.

— JANET POST