On Friday, November 18th, nearly 600 people filled the Martin Luther King, Jr. Labor Center of New York City to remember slain Puerto Rican nationalist leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios. Filiberto was killed by the FBI on September 23. The keynote speaker of the evening was another Puerto Rican nationalist leader Rafael Cancel Miranda, who received a standing ovation. Other Nationalist leaders including Edwin Cortés and Antonio Camacho Negrón were also present. A message from the widow of Don Filiberto, Elma Beatriz, who was present at the FBI raid that took her husband’s life, was read.

The event was multicultural and multiracial, with various
African-American political prisoners and leaders such as Roger Wareham, of the New York 8 and Pam Africa from the MOVE Movement present. The evening ended with a cultural event that included music, poetry, and hip-hop.

The tribute was sponsored by many organizations based in New York City and Puerto Rico including ProLibertad, the Frente Socialista, and Fuerza de la Revolución Dominicana.

The event demonstrated that the Rican community will not forget Don Filiberto or his sacrifice.