Originally appeared in The Coldest #1

Watched a screening of this at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in the Hermosa neighborhood in Chicago. It was about Filiberto Ojeda Rios, one of the leaders of the Boricua Popular Army (a.k.a. The Macheteros), an armed struggle, Puerto Rican independentista group.

The documentary contained a lot of biographical information that I did not know. For example, I had no idea Filiberto played in salsa groups while in New York and was regarded as an excellent trumpet player with a promising future.

Overall, the flick is pretty sympathetic to independence for Puerto Rico, and understanding of some people’s choice in the 1970s to engage in armed struggle. I think it is directed towards people who share these views or sympathies.

I think those that do not share these views, or who may not be familiar with Puerto Rico, would want more of a case made for independence. The film doesn’t really put into context the oppression, suppression, negligence and exploitation the US has subjected Puerto Rico to and so one not familiar with the subject matter could be confused as to why there were people who were willing to kill or be killed for independence.

For myself, I would have liked to have seen Puerto Rican armed struggle put into more of a global context. There were many armed, Marxist-Leninist groups during the 1960s and 1970s. They did not just arise out of specific, local conditions, but because of a shared vision of what was possible, inspired by events in Cuba, Africa and Asia. I also would have liked to see a more critical eye turned towards the choice of isolated, marginalized Marxist-Leninist sects turning to armed struggle. In my opinion, without a mass base for the goal (socialism and independence), the tactics were always going to be a failure that ruined or destroyed lives.

However, I’m very appreciative that this film was made, because Filiberto is a historical figure of Puerto Rico that should be recognized and his experience is one which we should understand more.