TEMPORAL

April 16, 2020 In an unprecedented show of unity the major independence organizations in Puerto Rico and in the US issued a joint statement. The COVID-19 crisis in Puerto Rico has forced the various groups to come together, putting aside their differences to demand that the government protect and safeguard the health and safety of the Puerto Rican people.  Emerging from these efforts is a historic document which both analyzes and makes demands amidst the current COVID-19 situation both in Puerto Rico and in the diaspora. Among the concerns denounced in the document are ongoing corruption, continued neglect and blatant discrimination. The document also calls for the implementation of specific action items necessary for the well-being of our community during this pandemic. Some of their demands include the passing of laws to help the population cope with the crisis: • A moratorium on utility and debt payments • A moratorium on the mortgage payments with an extension on the term of th...

By Ramón Serrano January 18, 2020 - Our second venture into the earthquake zone coincided with a health fair directed at those refuged outside of Yauco's baseball stadium. Once again, it was a displaced community of entire families housed under personal tents and tarps. It seemed that the inside of the stadium proper was reserved for a contingent of National Guard troops assigned to help with the logistics. The health fair itself, which had been well advertised, included all manner of medical expertise and professionals. It consisted of MDs specializing in everything from Gynecology to Internal Medicine. It also attempted to address the emotional scars caused by the stress and included Psychologists and Social Workers as well as other mental health professionals. The effort was augmented by the continuation of the support of the community at large who organize sessions of play therapy for the children, while also continuing to provide supplies of day-to-day necessities. Acupunc...

Julio Pabón, a community businessman, activist, former operative and candidate for US Congress from the 15th Congressional District in the South Bronx, who recently returned from Puerto Rico will attend today’s pres conference planned for 12noon today at City Hall to give a first hand analysis of the earthquake, having experienced it on the ground while on a family reunion in Puerto Rico. Mr. Pabón stated, “I’ve experienced many frightening events growing up in the South Bronx. I have personally experience running from gunshots myself and with my children. I have experienced running from burning buildings and running from police in many demonstration and riots, but none of that can compare to be awakened in the middle of the night because your bed and the entire house is shaking in an uncontrollable fashion with a loud roar emanating from the earth.” He continued, “if that was not enough, but to then have no electricity and to continue to experience smaller quakes and tremors, while ...

Updated 01182020

Updated July 16, 2020 By Ramón Serrano On my way to Guayanilla at 8 a.m. another tremor measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale shook the already traumatized inhabitants of La Isla del Encanto . Fortunately I did not feel it on the road. Since Dec. 28th when the first major one struck there have been at least 900 detectable episodes. Because the epicenter of the seismic shifts lies directly to the south of the Island, it is the southern towns where most of the structural damage has taken place and as a result where the physical, mental and emotional dislocation is most evident. Puerto Ricans are still recovering from the P.T.S.D. associated with Hurricane Maria two years ago, so that the fear and panic being experienced by an already fragile psyche is quite understandable. Part of the underlying insecurity lies in the distrust of a local government that failed them miserably during the last disaster and a Federal Government led by a narcissist who withholds badly needed aid while insu...