First Published: People’s Tribune, Vol. 1, No. 3, November 1, 1974.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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On October 27, 1974 there was a demonstration of 20,000 people in New York City to support the struggles of the Puerto Rican people for independence. We would like to take this opportunity to support this rally and re-state our position on the Puerto Rican national colonial question.
Puerto Rico has been a colonial possession of the USNA imperialists since 1898, when the Puerto Rican people succeeded in kicking out the Spanish colonialists, only to have them replaced by the USNA imperialists. Puerto Rico was one of the first colonial possessions of the USNA imperialists and today, 1974, Puerto Rico remains in colonial servitude.
The question of the independence of Puerto Rico is not an academic question, or a question that we raise as do-gooders. Puerto Rico is of extreme importance to the USNA imperialists. The major importance of Puerto Rico lies in its strategic military position. Today 13%, of the total land area of the island is occupied by USNA naval, army and air bases. These bases, together with those in the Virgin Islands, Guantanamo, Florida and Texas, control the eastern approach to the Panama Canal and are daggers aimed at the whole of Latin America.
The Puerto Rican national colonial question is not different than any national colonial question and can only be solved with the independence of Puerto Rico. For the Puerto Ricans independence for Puerto Rico means freedom, both politically and economically, a freedom they have never known before. For the Anglo-American proletariat independence for Puerto Rico signifies the possibilities of overthrowing USNA imperialism.
But the question of the struggle for the independence of Puerto Rico has a much wider importance. Revolution in North America is impossible without revolution in all of the Americas. The USNA imperialists have in the main derived their strength from their exploitation of Latin America. Latin America is the stomping ground for the USNA imperialists, their rear, their most important reserves. Without Latin America, USNA imperialism could not sustain itself. Our struggle for the independence of Puerto Rico is closely connected with the struggle for the independence of all of Latin America.
We will never be able to convince the working classes of Latin America that our struggle for socialism is truly internationalist and sincere if we do not fight in a militant manner for the independence of Puerto Rico. Our struggle for socialism is inseparably connected with the struggles in Latin America for independence and socialism. Mutual support and unity of action of the USNA proletariat and the people of Latin America will surely signify the death to imperialism.
The struggles of the Puerto Rican people for independence are plentiful and historical. Their fight has continued for centuries. Let us make their fight our fight. Let us raise with spirit and determination the call INDEPENDENCE FOR PUERTO RICO!