During Speech in Harlem President Maduro Reiterates Support for “Latin America’s Mandela” acknowledges presence of José E. López, Oscar’s brother

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, once again, manifested his unconditional support for the release of Puerto Rican patriot Oscar López Rivera during a keynote address to the Afro-Descendent Peoples of African Descent Leadership Summit held in Harlem’s National Black theater on Monday, September 28, 2015. The event was sponsored by Transafrica and 1199SEIU and included such African American luminaries as Dr. Ron Daniels, President of the Institute of the Black World, New York State Senator Bill Perkins, Opal Tometi, Co-founder of the BlackLivesMatter movement, and actor Danny Glover, among others.

Before a completely filled auditorium, President Maduro publicly acknowledged the presence of José E. López, brother of Oscar López Rivera, and also called for the patriot’s release, once again referring to him as the Nelson Mandela of Latin America. At the end of the program President Maduro personally told López that he wanted to send Oscar a personal abrazo, and that he was totally committed to his release.