Women in Puerto Rico Politics - Lolita Lebron (Paperback)

Chapters: Lolita Lebron. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 62. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Dolores "Lolita" Lebron Sotomayor (born November 19, 1919) is an active advocate for Puerto Rican independence. She was born and raised in Lares, Puerto Rico, where she joined the Liberal Party. In her youth she met Francisco Matos Paoli, a renowned Puerto Rican poet, with whom she had a relationship. In 1941, Lebron migrated to New York City, where she joined the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, gaining influence within the party's leadership. Within the organization she promoted ideals based on socialist and feminist principles. In 1952, after Puerto Rico's official status was changed to "Commonwealth," the Nationalist Party began a series of revolutionary actions, including the Jayuya Uprising. As part of this initiative, Pedro Albizu Campos ordered her to organize attacks in the United States, focusing on locations that were "the most strategic to the enemy." She became the leader of a group of nationalists, who proceeded to attack the United States House of Representatives in 1954. Lebron remained imprisoned 25 years, when Jimmy Carter issued pardons to the group involved. After their release in 1981, the nationalists returned to Puerto Rico, where independence movements received them with a celebration. During the following years she continued her involvement in pro-independence activities, including the Navy-Vieques protests. Her life would be subsequently detailed in books and a documentary. Lebron was one of five siblings born in Lares, Puerto Rico to Gonzalo Lebron Bernal and Rafaela Soto Luciano, the other four were Aurea, Augusto, Gonzalo Jr. and Julio. Lebron was raised in Hacienda Pezuelas in Pezuelas, a barrio in Lares. Gonzalo Lebron worked as the hacienda's foreman earning...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=93709