•L.A.M.A. MARCHES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
• ALD. MALDONADO DOWNZONES CASA
• ATTORNEY GENERAL INITIATES INVESTIGATION
On Sunday, July 15th, 2018, nearly 200 community members led by the Latin American Motorcycle Association (L.A.M.A.) marched from Division and Sacramento to Casa Puertorriqueña demanding accountability and transparency from the Puerto Rican Parade Committee, and to save Casa Puertorriqueña Daniel Ramos, a cornerstone of our community. The march began with a message from Mario Nieves, International President of L.A.M.A. who stated, “People in the community have asked us to get involved and demand accountability of the mismanagement and apparent fraudulent actions of the Puerto Rican Parade Committee of Chicago, we want action and our community demands it.” The Latin American Motorcycle Association (L.A.M.A) was founded in 1977 in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. From its inception L.A.M.A. was intended as a Moto-Touring Club with truly democratic ideas. L.A.M.A. has since become an international organization with chapters in almost every continent. In front of Casa Puertorriqueña, Mario Nieves once again spoke, thanking everyone who had participated as well as stating,“The community was engaging the attorney general, Lisa Madigan, in discussions about an investigation into the misuse of funds by the Puerto Rican Parade Committee.” He further stated, “that committee had also been involved in what appears to be fraudulent use of money raised to help victims of hurricane María in Puerto Rico. It is believed that the committee raised over $100,000 dollars in cash and never delivered this money to those impacted by the natural disaster.” La Voz del Paseo Boricua, through reliable sources, has learned that the Attorney General’s office has initiated an investigation into the malfeasance of money by the Puerto Rican Parade Committee during the past few years. The Attorney General will use subpoena powers to gather vital information unless it is provided within the required deadline. Roberto Maldonado, 26th Ward Alderman, then spoke to the gathering informing them that he had submitted zoning change for la Casa Puertorriqueña, thus ensuring that speculators would not be able to purchase the building and benefit from this tragedy that has shaken the Puerto Rican Community.
The Latin American Motorcycle Association (L.A.M.A) was founded in 1977 in Chicago’s notorious Humboldt Park neighborhood. From it’s inception L.A.M.A. was intended as a Moto-Touring club with truly Democratic ideas. A lone chapter until the first chapter was started in Miami in 1995, LAMA became a National Association when the first national president was elected in 1996.
