The Grito de Lares, or the Lares rebellion, is celebrated across the island and in Puerto Rican communities in the diaspora as an ongoing symbol of the continued resistance to U.S. colonialism. Pedro Albizu Campos (1891–1965) was the president and spokesperson of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death in 1965. Because of its anti-colonial organizing, Nationalist members were killed and imprisoned throughout the 1930’s. U.S. businesses in Puerto Rico were making phenomenal profits in Puerto Rico. When police killed marchers and bystanders at a parade in Ponce (1937), the Nationalists saw the violence the United States was prepared to use to maintain its colonial regime. In 1950, the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party led revolts across Puerto Rico. The revolts failed because of the overwhelming force used by the U.S. military, National Guard, FBI, CIA and the Puerto Rican Insular Police. Nationalists were killed with impunity across the island, while the U.S. military bombed the town of Jayuya. Pedro Albizu Campos and hundreds of other Nationalists were arrested and imprisoned. He died in 1965 shortly after his pardon and release from federal prison. For more information about the speaker and the event itself follow the link to see the information on the back of the leaflet:
MLN.GritoDeLares.Flyer_