I learned that Oscar, who has been in prison over three decades, has often been called the Nelson Mandela of Puerto Rico, and is a unifying force in a sometimes divided Puerto Rican culture. Oscar has been in prison longer than Mandela was held in South Africa.
According to José, Oscar was in solitary confinement for 12 years. Longer than any US prisoner that they know of. In that time Oscar found inner peace. He feels no sense of revenge towards anyone despite his long incarceration. Many people have called for the release of Oscar. Among them 15 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
With the current financial crisis on the island, Puerto Rico is losing thousands of people who move to the mainland. This issue can't easily be solved by the people of Puerto Rico since the territory is technically the property of the US. It will take action by Congress and President to help resolve the Island's problems.
José pointed out that US Territories have historically become states after the native population becomes displaced by non-native settlers. This process appears to be taking place in Puerto Rico today where wealthy people from the States are buying up desirable properties and displacing native Puerto Ricans through a process of gentrification. This is even happening on island of Vieques.
Why should the people of Holyoke care?
While José calls his brother an "Independentista", A person dedicated to the independence of Puerto Rico, José didn't advocate for any particular political solution. He did however draw a connection between the independence of Ireland 90 years ago and the political power of the Irish in America. Similarly, he sees the political power of Puerto Ricans living in the States as force to bring change, and Holyoke with it's large PR population as part of that movement.
