Oscar López Rivera
Oscar López Rivera (born January 6, 1943) is a Puerto Rican nationalist.[1] He was one of the leaders of the FALN.
Oscar López Rivera | |
|---|---|
Oscar López Rivera | |
 | |
| Born | January 6, 1943 |
| Criminal status | Sentence commuted by President Obama, sentence ended in May 2017 |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal |
| Criminal charge | Seditious conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery, interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition to aid in the commission of a felony |
| Penalty | Prison for 55 years; extended 15 years for later conspiracy to escape |
Imprisonment
changeIn 1981, López Rivera was convicted and sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery, interstate transportation of firearms, and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property.[2][3] In 1988 he was sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison for conspiring to escape from the Leavenworth federal prison.
López Rivera was among the 14 convicted FALN members offered conditional clemency by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1999, but rejected the offer.
The imprisonment of López Rivera was opposed or supported by individuals and groups representing political, religious, and other constituencies. Some called him a terrorist, but others said he was a political prisoner. Several U.S. Congressmen supported Oscar López Rivera's release from prison such as Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Commutation
changeOn January 17, 2017, President Barack Obama lowered López Rivera's sentence and was released from prison on May 17, 2017. At the time, he was the longest-incarcerated member of the FALN.[4][5]
References
change- ↑ Broder, John M. (November 8, 1999). "12 Imprisoned Puerto Ricans Accept Clemency Conditions". New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
- ↑ United States Justice Department, 2011 parole hearing report for Oscar López Rivera.
- ↑ UPI article from August 11, 1981, title: Sentence FALN terrorist to 55 years in jail.
- ↑ "Behind a Push for Parole in Chicago, a Prisoner's Old Neighborhood". New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ↑ "New Book: "Oscar López Rivera, Entre la Tortura y la Resistencia"". Repeating Islands. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
Other websites
change- Book Review: Puerto Rican Independentista Oscar López Rivera’s 32 Years of Resistance to Torture. Written by Hans Bennett.
- "Figuras públicas continúan encarcelándose por Oscar López Rivera" (in Spanish). El Nuevo Dia. May 29, 2013. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2017. - Contains the partial, list of prominent figures who were "jailed" for López Rivera.
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