Oscar López Rivera
Oscar López Rivera (born January 6, 1943) is a Puerto Rican nationalist.[1] He was one of the leaders of the FALN.
| Oscar López Rivera | |
|---|---|
| File:File:Oscar López Rivera.png | |
| Born | January 6, 1943 San Sebastián, Puerto Rico |
Imprisonment
In 1981, López Rivera was convicted and sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery, interstate transportation of firearms, and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property.[2][3] In 1988 he was sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison for conspiring to escape from the Leavenworth federal prison.
López Rivera was among the 14 convicted FALN members offered conditional clemency by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1999, but rejected the offer.
The imprisonment of López Rivera was opposed or supported by individuals and groups representing political, religious, and other constituencies. Some called him a terrorist, but others said he was a political prisoner. Several U.S. Congressmen supported Oscar López Rivera's release from prison such as Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Commutation
On January 17, 2017, President Barack Obama lowered López Rivera's sentence and was released from prison on May 17, 2017. At the time, he was the longest-incarcerated member of the FALN.[4][5]
References
- ↑ Broder, John M. (November 8, 1999). "12 Imprisoned Puerto Ricans Accept Clemency Conditions". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/08/us/12-imprisoned-puerto-ricans-accept-clemency-conditions.html. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
- ↑ United States Justice Department, 2011 parole hearing report for Oscar López Rivera.
- ↑ UPI article from August 11, 1981, title: Sentence FALN terrorist to 55 years in jail.
- ↑ Behind a Push for Parole in Chicago, a Prisoner’s Old Neighborhood. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/11chicago.html. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ↑ "New Book: "Oscar López Rivera, Entre la Tortura y la Resistencia"". Repeating Islands. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
Other websites
- Book Review: Puerto Rican Independentista Oscar López Rivera’s 32 Years of Resistance to Torture. Written by Hans Bennett.
- "Figuras públicas continúan encarcelándose por Oscar López Rivera" (in español). El Nuevo Dia. May 29, 2013. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2017. - Contains the partial, list of prominent figures who were "jailed" for López Rivera.