On Monday, July 26, a group of more than 50 family members, friends, and supporters of Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres drove the grueling 3 1/2 hour drive from Chicago to Pekin, IL to be on hand as Carlos Alberto was released early that morning. Only his family was allowed to enter the prison parking lot and then made to wait inside the car. The 11 family members, along Jan Susler, his attorney, greeted Carlos with joyful embraces and loving arms, surrounded by the same Puerto Rican flags they were not allowed to take out of the car. They quickly drove to the nearby shopping mall where 40 people, including students from teh same school he co-founded, the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, members from the New England, New York and Chicago National Boricua Human Rights Network chapters, NY Assemblyman José Rivera, NY City Councilman Joel Rivera, NY City Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito as well as community members burst into a spontaneous rendition of “La Borinqueña” as he emerged from the van. After hugging and thanking each of the welcoming party and taking pictures, he returned to the van to return to Chicago, where the first thing he did was to visit his father’s grave and then his mother. Along with the family, he returned to Paseo Boricua for a private reception at La Estancia where supporters, friends and loved ones, were gathered. As he entered La Estancia, he was greeted by an honor guard was formed by many people who knew him before he went underground in 1976, greeted him. From there he was escorted by community youth, members of the Batey Urbano and youth from the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School to the pubic event at La Casita de Don Pedro, where over 500 people awaited as he triumphantly entered La Casita. More details in the September issue of La Red.
More pictures here.