23 de septiembre

2006
Acrylic on Plywood
7.5' x 4'

This plywood portrait of Filiberto Ojeda Rios was created for use at the March and Rally from Times Square to the United Nations on September 23, 2006, the one year anniversary of his assassination and the 138th anniversary of the Grito de Lares Revolution in Puerto Rico. The painting featured the EPB-Macheteros slogan: ¡TODO BORICUA MACHETERO! It also features an excerpt from Puerto Rico's revolutionary anthem written in the late 19th century by Lola Rodriguez de Tío which reads:

Es hora de luchar....
Nosotros queremos la libertad
Nuesto machete nos la dará

It is time to fight
We want liberation
Our machete will grant it

The rally was attended by people of all persuasions and ages to denounce the assassination of Filiberto, to end colonialism in Puerto Rico and to free the Puerto Rican political prisoners.

Folks from RICANSTRUCTION pose for a photo before cleaning up after the rally. I'm in there somewhere.