Carlos Alberto Torres

Posts Tagged ‘Carlos Alberto Torres’

What Isn’t Included in Latino Heritage Month : El Grito de Lares

2:03 pm By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · Comments Off

23 Sep 2010

It’s an independence celebration often not mentioned. Perhaps because El Grito de Lares, Puerto Rico’s cry of independence from Spain on September 23, 1868 has yet to fulfill itself completely. There will be no digital flags waving on the Spanish language television networks wishing Puerto Ricans a “happy independence day” because since 1898, Puerto Rico has been a colony of the United States. While many Puerto Ricans do not know their own history, specifically that 142 years ago Ramón Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis declared the Republic of Puerto Rico, the United States government knows the power of that date since they chose September 23, 2005 to kill modern day Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Ríos.

This means that to Puerto Ricans, today carries tremendous importance and weight. This year we have seen the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres and we have celebrated the sacrifices of Lolita Lebron and Juan Mari Bras. While the town of Lares, Puerto Rico attempted to change it’s name from the “city of el grito” to “the city of open skies”, Puerto Rican people take today to reaffirm the struggle that continues and reaffirm their commitment to fighting against colonialism, no matter what name changes attempt to cover up the international crime.

Que Viva Puerto Rico Libre!

NYC Event : Rhythm, Rhymes and Revolution: Artist Benefit for recently released Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres

1:49 pm By Maegan La Mala · New York City|Poetry|Puerto Rico · 2 Comments

17 Aug 2010

Friday September 17th, 2010 at 7:30pm
East Harlem Cafe 1651 Lexington Avenue (btwn. E104-105th St.)
Take the 6 train to E. 103rd St.

Join us for a night of incredible poetry, rap and spoken word as we unite to help our brother former Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres!

Carlos Alberto, freed from 30 years in jail this July, is trying to open up a ceramics workshop in Puerto Rico! He needs our help to pay rent, buy supplies and many other expenses!

Come through and Help our brother Carlos Alberto, make his dream a reality!

Featured artists:
The Welfare Poets
Prisionera
(not4)Prophet
Sandra Maria Estevez
Papoleto Melendez
SPIRITCHILD
Steve Bloom

Image Via / PR Sun

Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres to be Freed on Parole

8:51 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Puerto Rico · 2 Comments

29 May 2010

Puerto Rican political prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres, who has served 30 years for his work supporting Puerto Rican independence, was granted parole last week. He is expected to be released in July and live in Puerto Rico.

Two Puerto Rican political prisoners remain in U.S. custody. Oscar López Rivera, who this month will mark his 29th year in prison, is not scheduled for release until 2023; and Avelino González Claudio, who this month will be sentenced to a term not to exceed 7 years.

Via / National Boricua Human Rights Network

Petition for Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres

2:14 pm By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Justice|Puerto Rico · 3 Comments

3 Feb 2010

On January 19, 2010, Carlos Alberto Torres attended a video hearing presided over by a U.S. Parole Commission hearing examiner whose task was to consider the disciplinary charges stemming from last January, and to make a recommendation for what should happen with respect to his request to be released on parole. Carlos Alberto answered the questions posed, and his attorney Jan Susler asked that the Parole Commission release him on parole as previously recommended, regardless of the wrongful charges. She pointed out the vast, ongoing support for his release, and argued that there is absolutely no risk in releasing him, as evidenced by the impressive example of his compatriots who were released by presidential commutation in 1999. The hearing examiner then made a favorable recommendation. The Parole Commission will make the final decision, hopefully within the next 30 days.

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign is launching a 30 day online petition campaign! We want 1000 people to sign our petition within the next 30 days showing their support for Carlos Alberto Torres.

At the end of the thirty days the petition will be mailed to the Parole Commissioner.

Sign this petition and forward it out to everyone you know!

Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres parole hearing Scheduled for Jan 19th

4:30 pm By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Justice|Puerto Rico · 2 Comments

11 Jan 2010

Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres will meet with the Parole Commission’s hearing examiner once again on January 19.

The Bureau of Prisons continues its role of interfering with his release. Carlos Alberto learned today that the BOP received an order from the Parole Commission on November 12, 2009, indicating that the Commission wanted to see him about the disciplinary report at the next available date. The FCI Pekin staff member responsible for communicating this to Carlos Alberto told him simply, “I must have overlooked this.”

The prison disciplinary committee found him guilty of possessing home made knives which, unbeknownst to him, a cellmate had hidden in the light fixture of the cell. This finding came not only after the first guilty decision was expunged, but after the guilty cellmate confessed in person to the committee.

The U.S. Parole Commission had postponed its decision whether to adopt its hearing examiner’s recommendation to release Carlos Alberto on parole on April 3, 2010, waiting for the disciplinary committee’s decision. At the January 19 hearing, Carlos Alberto will ask the Commission to adopt the recommendation and order his release, and to ignore the Bureau of Prisons’ attempts to derail his parole.

Write to the Parole Commission to encourage them to adopt the recommendation and order his release! Sample letter available at www.boricuahumanrights.org.

Update on Puerto Rican Political Prisoners Avelino Gonzalez Claudio y Carlos Alberto Torres

8:28 am By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · Comments Off

30 Dec 2009

Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Avelino Gonzalez Claudo is being denied medical treatment. Since his incarceration, he has developed a neurological condition. In November 2008, Avelino requested, several times, medical attention receiving only a “I do not know”, “I will read some books” answer from the Doctor assigned to his facility. Avelino has been mvoed to a new prison, so the campaign has a new target: Peter J. Murphy, the Warden of Avelino’s new prison, MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution.
Read more…

Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres MIGHT BE HOME SOON!

8:13 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Justice|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

28 May 2009

carlosflag2 I’m ok with people insulting my intelligence and discounting my voice because I stand firmly by the fact that Puerto Rico is a nation. One of the reasons I say that is because of people like Carlos Alberto Torres, who has spent 29 years of his life in prison for the “non-nation” of Puerto Rico and it looks like Carlos may be with his familia soon with our help.

Puerto Rican political prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres appeared on May 26th with his attorney Jan Susler at FCI Pekin, Illinois at a videoconference hearing with U.S. Parole Commission hearing examiner Larry Glenn.

The hearing took place after Carlos Alberto had served over 29 years in prison, and 15 years after his initial parole hearing in 1994, when the Parole Commission told him to come back after serving another 15 years.

The hearing examiner opened by saying he would make one of three possible recommendations at the conclusion of the hearing: 1) set a presumptive parole date; 2) tell Carlos Alberto once again to come back after serving another 15 years, at which time he would be considered for possible release on parole; or 3) deny parole entirely.

For some 45 minutes, the examiner posed questions, including some very pointed political questions about Carlos Alberto’s views on the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico, and whether his thoughts on this issue have changed throughout his years in custody. He reviewed his accomplishments in prison and asked about his plans if he were to be released: to open a pottery studio in Puerto Rico.

Significantly, Glenn noted “the large number of documents showing community support sent to the parole commission.” He was referring to the thousands of letters and resolutions from all of Puerto Rico’s civil society, as well as from supporters throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

After a brief break, Glenn announced his recommendation: a presumptive parole date of April 3, 2010…. which would mark the 30th anniversary of Carlos Alberto’s imprisonment.

The parole commission has 21 days to issue a decision, of by June 16. Should the commission adopt the examiner’s recommendation, Carlos Alberto would be eligible for transfer to a halfway house 180 days before April 3, or on October 3, 2009.

Letters urging the commission to adopt the hearing examiner’s recommendation should arrive no later than June 17 at the office of Jan Susler, Attorney, People’s Law Office, 1180 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL 60622, jsusler@aol. com.

Take Action for Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres

10:16 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Activism|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

11 May 2009

From my amigos at Pro-Libertad:

Puerto Rican political prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres is scheduled for a parole hearing in May.

He was initially scheduled for a January hearing, which he postponed after being falsely charged with a disciplinary violation the week before that hearing. The prison disciplinary committee proceeded to find him guilty of possession of knives hidden in a light fixture in the cell he shared with nine other prisoners, in spite of a sworn confession by the person responsible. Carlos’ administrative appeal is still pending.

The Parole Commission has not yet set a specific date, but it will likely be the week of May 25. There is still time to collect letters supporting his parole, and get them to the address below… deadline for receipt: May 15.

Jan Susler
People’s Law Office
1180 N. Milwaukee
Chicago, IL 60622

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International Human Rights Day : Puerto Rican Political Prisonor Carlos Alberto Torres

4:33 pm By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Justice|Puerto Rico · 3 Comments

10 Dec 2008

Many people are surprised that there are political prisoners in the United States. What? In the home of the brave and the land of the free? Yes, and the overwhelming majority of them are people of color who are incarcerated for the simple fact of wanting freedom and liberty for their community.

One of these political prisoners is Puerto Rican Carlos Alberto Torres. Carlos is scheduled to meet with the Federal Parole Board on Monday January 19, 2009.

Carlos Alberto Torres was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on September 19, 1952. His parents moved to New York, finally settling in Chicago. He studied in the University of Illinois in Carbondale and Chicago. He studied sociology at Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Carlos Alberto was involved in the struggles to recruit more Latin@s to the University, against racism, and police abuse. Carlos was one of the founders of the Rafael Cancel Miranda Puerto Rican High School now known as the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School and participated in the Committee to Free the 5 Nationalists.

In 1976, Carlos was forced to go underground and was on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list. He was captured along with other comrades and sentenced to 78 years on charges of seditious conspiracy, among other charges.

Although the Clinton Administration offered clemency to 12 Puerto Rican political prisoners in the fall of 1999, no leniency was granted to Carlos Torres, whom prosecutors described as a leader of the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional (FALN), an underground organization which fought for Puerto Rico’s independence in the 1970s and ’80s. His release date is 2024. He is currently in prison in Oxford, Wisconsin.

VivirLatino