Associated Press

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The Boricua Popular Army The Macheteros warned today that the FBI is preparing for arrests, kidnappings and even acts to “provoke the death” of independentistas and people’s activists.

In a communiqué mailed to the Associated Press, The Macheteros indicated that the supposed “great onslaught of the FBI” comes in the context of the economic depression, the weakening of the political parties, and the “daily abuses” committed by federal authorities in the Island, which it did not detail.

“Our organization possesses information indicating that the FBI, with the collaboration of the colonial police, are planning an operation to arrest, kidnap, and in some cases provoke the death of independentista, socialist leaders and activists protecting the rights of the people, said the missive.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations evaluated the content of the communiqué, but refused to react. “We have no comment,” maintained Harry Rodríguez, spokesperson for the FBI on the Island.

“The FBI intends to strike at all the groupings and individuals capable of supporting the people in their struggle for decolonization, national liberation and social justice,” added the document dated May 19, but postmarked May 23.

The FBI considers the Macheteros a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, for decades independentistas have condemned persecution by U.S. authorities.

Following the death in 2005 of the self proclaimed leader of The Macheteros, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, the FBI has taken steps to conduct searches and detentions, and a grand jury has subpoenaed several independentistas to appear before a New York court.

These efforts have been related to alleged evidence found in the house of Ojeda Ríos, who died after being shot during a federal operation to arrest him.

“The FBI will continue pressuring, harassing and threatening the Puerto Rican people, and the people of Puerto Rico are not going to collaborate with the agency that vilely assassinated our commander…” added the clandestine group.

“United we can remove the FBI from our country, as we achieved the removal of the U.S. Navy from Vieques. United we can save the Puerto Rican nation from the FBI assassins and their colonial collaborators,” added the document.

It referred to the campaign of civil disobedience unleashed following the death of a civil guard by a mistaken Navy bombing in Vieques. That campaign provoked the departure of the Armed Forces in May of 2003.

The Press Office of Police Headquarters was taking steps to obtain a comment from superintendent Pedro Toledo.

http://www.vocero.com/noticias.asp?s=Locales&n=110478

The archbishop of San Juan, Roberto González Nieves, confirmed to EL VOCERO that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents interviewed him with respect to two visits that the religious leader had with the president of the Boricua Popular Army Los Macheteros, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, while he was in clandestinity.

González Nieves indicated that some four or five months following the death of Ojeda Ríos, two FBI agents visited him at the Bishopric in Viejo San Juan. The agents’ visit came about due to the fact that during the search of the Machetero leader’s home on September 23, 2005 in Hormigueros, authorities confiscated a book the Archbishop had given him and in which the Archbishop had inscribed a dedication. The book was “Memory and Identity,” by now deceased pope John Paul II.

He indicated that the interview with the agents lasted several hours and was conducted in two parts. The first was about the Plan of Well Being of the Union, by the Independent Union of the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (UIA by its Spanish initials), of which the Archbishop was president of the Board; and the second was about Ojeda Rí­os. “They asked me a lot of questions, but I can’t go into much detail because it would create an unnecessary atmosphere at this point. It lasted several hours. They called first and made an appointment. The atmosphere was respectful, and the dialogue was respectful. The bishops of Puerto Rico are aware of this interview,” he commented.

He explained that his communication with Ojeda Rí­os came about after an interview with the press where he was asked if he would be willing to dialogue with the Machetero leader, and he responded affirmatively, and that he would speak with him about peace and non-violence. “Seven months later I received a communication from Filiberto, and yes, I spoke with him personally on two occasions. Later I sent him a book by John Paul II with a dedication. He was reading it when the tragedy took place,” the prelate pointed out, clarifying that he was not Ojeda Ríos’ confessor.

As for his meetings with the Machetero leader, he expressed that “we had a pastoral dialogue. Above all, I spoke to him of the importance of non-violence, the methodology of dialogue and mediation and the importance of a spiritual guide. I detected in him an opening, and in his interior he was making favorable changes.” He did not offer details about the changes and declined to give details about the place of the meetings. He indicated that Ojeda Rí­os had asked for a third meeting, but the Archbishop responded that it would not be prudent. “He sent me a note about another meeting, and I responded that it would not be prudent, and I sent him the book. It wasn’t prudent for all the circumstances that were taking place,” he responded concisely.

Two days ago the Bar Association announced that it will seek the intervention of the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations (UN) to investigate the death of people at the hands of law enforcement or paramilitary agents. Ojeda Ríos was shot to death during an operation by FBI agents at his home in Hormigueros. Currently a Grand Jury continues to evaluate evidence about supposed illegal activities of the Boricua Popular Army. On February 10, 2006, the FBI confirmed in a press release that it carried out some six search warrants in Río Piedras, Trujillo Alto, San Germán, Aguadilla and Isabela “to prevent a potential terrorist attack.”

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González’ attorney, James Bergenn, suggested that his client be under house arrest and monitored by an electronic bracelet. Family members offered collateral of real estate worth $500,000. However, Smith said that González remained a fugitive for 23 years, and that the robbery was the largest bank robbery in the history of the United States, making the charges “incredibly serious.”

The robbery was allegedly carried out by Victor Gerena, a Wells Fargo driver recruited by The Macheteros. González is accused of helping Gerena flee the United States with the booty, which weighed almost half a ton. The FBI believes that Gerena and part of the money traveled first to Mexico and then to Cuba.

The Macheteros allegedly used the money to finance several bombings and other attacks to promote independence for the island. Their alleged leader, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, died in 2005 in a shootout with the FBI at a farm in Puerto Rico.

Gerena and González’ brother, Norberto González Claudio, are the only suspects who remain fugitives. Gerena continues to be on the FBI’s ten most wanted list, with a reward of a million dollars for his capture.

La Mesa de Solidaridad, a coalition that collaborated to defend the three New York Puerto Rican activists who were called to testify before a federal grand jury last year, will hold a demonstration in Ponce, PR on Monday, April 21 in front of the FBI barracks.

Representantes de diversas organizaciones independentistas, socialistas y de los derechos humanos convocaron ayer, por medio de la Mesa de Solidaridad contra la represión federal, a la marcha ¡FBI fuera de mis país! a llevarse a cabo el lunes 21 de abril de 2008 a la 1:00 PM en Ponce, Puerto Rico, partiendo del Museo de la Masacre hasta el edificio Isabel la Segunda, donde el FBI mantiene encubierto uno de sus cuarteles.

El 16 de abril, día del natalicio de José de Diego, el FBI acorraló, hostigó y amenazó a varios militantes independentistas. Exhortamos a los ciudadanos a no colaborar con los agentes del FBI, quienes insisten en mantener la relación colonial por medio de la intimidación y la violencia que los caracteriza.

La Mesa de Solidaridad se constituyó en diciembre de 2007 para apoyar a tres jóvenes puertorriqueños residentes en Nueva York que fueron citados por un Gran Jurado Federal y a quienes se les requirió identificar a personas que el FBI alega que pertenecen al Ejército Popular Boricua-Macheteros.

¡Ante la represión, unidad y lucha!
¡No colaboración con el Gran Jurado!
FBI FUERA DE MI PAIS
Información adicional:
Dr. Michael González-Cruz 787 315 7854

Las siguientes organizaciones participan de la Mesa de Solidaridad:
Colectivo Resistencia, Coordinadora Caribeña y Latinoamericana de Puerto Rico, Coordinadora Nacional de las Vigilias por la Dignidad Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, Comité Pro Derechos Humanos, Frente Socialista, Federación de Universitarios Pro Independencia, Fundación Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, Movimiento Independentista Nacional Hostosiano, La Nueva Escuela, Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, Partido Nacionalista Puertorriqueño

A federal prosecutor on Monday attempted to link Avelino Gonzalez-Claudio to rocket attacks in Puerto Rico while arguing that the alleged Puerto Rican militant should be detained without bail for a 1983 armored car robbery in Connecticut.

Gonzalez, 65, was one of more than a dozen reputed members of the nationalist group Los Macheteros, who authorities say planned and carried out the $7 million heist at the Wells Fargo depot in West Hartford. Authorities say the robbery was the largest ever in the United States at the time.

He pleaded not guilty in February to 15 federal charges including robbery and conspiracy. His lawyer and relatives said there’s no evidence that he committed any acts of violence or was involved in the robbery.

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HARTFORD, Conn.: A detention hearing is scheduled Monday for an alleged Puerto Rican militant who is accused of taking part in a robbery of a Wells Fargo armored car depot in West Hartford 25 years ago.

Avelino Gonzalez Claudio is scheduled to appear in federal court in Hartford at 2 p.m.

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See also El Nuevo Día article,
“Otra vista para presunto machetero: González Claudio va hoy a su segunda audiencia de fianza.”