Oscar López Rivera, Puerto Rican patriot and former political prisoner, is coming to Southern California for the first time since his release from prison in May. After serving almost 36 years in prison, his sentence was commuted, as the result of national and international pressure, on Jan. 17, 2017 by Pres. Barack Obama. Oscar is a decorated Vietnam War veteran who has devoted himself to the cause of Puerto Rican independence, to service to the workers, students and other people of Puerto Rico, and to the Puerto Rican diasporic community in the US.
He will be in Southern California for a series of speaking events from February 5-9, 2018.
Upon finally being freed, López Rivera was greeted by tens of thousands of cheering Puerto Ricans. He is considered the “Nelson Mandela of Latin America” due to his long imprisonment and principled commitment.
He will be speaking at UC Santa Barbara on Monday, February 5; at CSU Channel Islands on Tuesday, February 6, with a major community and labor public event and reception that evening in Los Angeles at Dr. Maya Angelou Community High School; at Pasadena City College and then Cal State Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 7, with a political/cultural event and theatrical performance at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City that evening; at Pomona College in Claremont at noon on Thursday, February 8, and at UCLA that evening; at Chapman College in Orange County on Friday, Feb. 9, and finally in San Diego that evening.
Oscar is available for press interviews and media appearances prior to and during his visit to Southern California. He has been engaged in relief efforts for Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria and the subsequent response by the US colonial government. He also continues to advocate for decolonization of Puerto Rico and liberation of political prisoners still held in the U.S., such as Leonard Peltier and former members of the Black Panther Party.
For more information and to schedule media events and interviews, please call 310-460-8586.
More information about Oscar López Rivera and the colonial case of Puerto Rico is available here: httpss://www.un.org/press/en/2017/gacol3312.doc.htm
Updated information about the Southern California visit itinerary is available here: httpss://www.facebook.com/events/163039650972667/
Welcome Oscar López Rivera to Southern California Coordinating Committee
310-460-8586
