Navy-Culebra protests

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Navy-Culebra protests is the name given by American media to a series of protests starting in 1971 on the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico against the United States Navy use of the island. The protests led to the U.S. Navy abandoning of its facilities on Culebra.

Contents

[edit] Background

The protests were led by Ruben Berrios, the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) President, a lawyer with a doctorate in International Rights, Honorary President of the Socialist International, as well as Law professor at the University of Puerto Rico.

Berrios and other protesters squatted in Culebra for a few days. Some of them, including Berrios, were arrested and imprisoned for civil disobedience. The official charge was trespassing U.S. military territory.

[edit] Results / Achievements / Consequences

Because of the efforts done by the protesters, the U.S. Navy abandoned its facilities on Culebra.

[edit] Famous protesters

Name Remarks Arrest Sentence
Ruben Berrios Leader of the protests

PIP President at the time

Former candidate for Governor
3 days after protests' start 3 months

[edit] See also