Serrano Sends FBI Files with New FUPI Documents
July 28, 2000 | By Congressman Serrano's Press Office
Washington, D.C., July 28 -- Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY) today sent copies of FBI files related to the persecution of leaders of the independence movement to the Senate Investigative Committee in Puerto Rico, including newly released information about the Federation of University Students for Independence.
The eight boxes of files detail the FBI’s persecution of leaders of the independence movement and include information about Luis Muñoz Marín, Pedro Albizu Campos, and COINTELPRO, the FBI’s counterintelligence program, designed by the United States Government to uncover organizations or individuals who were considered threats to national security. COINTELPRO was not isolated to Puerto Rico. It affected people of different political ideologies across this country. The independence movement was targeted as one of those groups. Former independence leader Pedro Albizu Campos died shortly after his release from Federal prison, and commonwealth supporter Luis Muñoz Marín was the first elected governor of Puerto Rico who was born on the island.
Of those eight boxes, four contain new information about the Federation of University Students (FUPI).
“Delivering these documents will start the process in Puerto Rico of investigating this issue,” Serrano said. “It is part of a lengthy and important process that will allow Puerto Ricans and people all over the country and the world to learn more about this ugly chapter in our history.”
In Puerto Rico, the Senate passed a resolution March 14 calling for a probe into the federal government’s role in the creation of political dossiers on members of the Independence Party. The Puerto Rican government also has established a fund to compensate people targeted by this operation.
Serrano raised the issue of the FBI files on March 16 during the FBI's budget hearing before the Commerce, Justice, State, Judiciary and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, which funds the FBI, among other federal agencies. Serrano is ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee.
Serrano is sending the FBI files to Puerto Rico Senator Kenneth McClintock, President of the Commission on Government and Federal Affairs, which is overseeing the investigation, Senator Manuel Rodríguez Orellana, of the Puerto Rico Independence Party, and Eduardo Bhatia, of the Democratic Popular Party.
“It is only fitting that these documents be delivered to Puerto Rico where many of these activities took place, where it has been known that the FBI targeted professors, university students, and so many others,” Serrano said.
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