First Published: Obreros En Marcha, Vol. 2, No. 3, March 1977.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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On the weekend of February 18-20, the Puerto Rican Solidarity Committee (PRSC) held its second Annual conference in the city of Chicago. The objectives of the conference were to analyze the work of the PRSC during the past two years, to formulate and approve a political statement and program to guide the work of the organization for the coming period and to elect a new national leadership. Present at the conference were delegates and observers from 20 PRSC chapters and guests from other political formations in the U.S. as well as representatives of different political forces from Puerto Rico (the Puerto Rican Peace Council, The Institute for Trade Union Education, The Puerto Rican Socialist Party-PSP, The Popular Socialist Movement-MSP and the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Front-FRAI).
The conference opened on Friday night the 18th with a report that evaluated the work of the PRSC during the past two years. Rosa Borenstein made the presentation for the PRSC National Board and described the achievements of the PRSC during the July 4th mass mobilization to Philadelphia, the role of the organization in the UN deliberations, the Havana Conference and the national tours of the US by the PRSC, sponsored by Puerto Rican labor leaders.
The evaluating report was followed by an address to the gathering by the Secretary General of the Popular Socialist Movement, Luis Angel Torres, who on behalf of his organization and the newly formed anti-imperialist front in Puerto Rico saluted the PRSC for its efforts of solidarity with the cause of the Puerto Rican people. In his message the representative of the MSP described existing conditions in Puerto Rico, outlining the renewed attacks by the imperialists against the island-nation’s natural resources and pointing out the existing divisions among progressive forces, particularly after the recent electoral fiasco. He made clear that this situation demanded serious study by both the liberation forces and its supporters. Moreover, Luis Angel Torres expressed the need for the PRSC to establish relations with all the liberation forces and analyze their diverse positions, since there is not one organization, at this point, that can be labeled the vanguard of the Puerto Rican people. He then proceeded to express concern with aspects of the draft political statement to be discussed and implemented by the PRSC. In this context, he expressed particular concern for its incorrect definition of imperialism and solidarity, as well as its failure to recognize armed struggle as a determinant factor in the national liberation struggle.
Having completed the phase of introductory remarks and messages of solidarity, the Conference began in earnest on Saturday the 19th with its first plenary. This part of the conference, designed to establish the procedures for the discussion of the political statement, set the tone for the next two days of debate around fundamental aspects of the PRSC. During the course of the plenary it was proposed that two alternative documents be discussed along with the draft statement of the PRSC National Board. One of these documents had been drafted by the San Francisco Chapter-SFC of the Solidarity Committee and the other by groups and individuals who had come together to form the March 1 Bloc.
Both of the proposed alternative documents contained errors in essence and form. Nevertheless they each included valid points which had been disregarded by the eclectic analysis presented in the PRSC official draft. Rather than struggling for their correct points to be included in the form of amendments to the official document, the SFC and the March 1 Bloc united intransigently on their demand to have all three documents discussed in workshops during the course of the conference. The unfeasability of this procedure led to a majority rejection of the SFC-March 1 Bloc proposal. Defeated in their proposal, elements within these two groups proceed to raise a series of procedural questions which hindered the development of the conference. At that point, the possibility was developing of an organizational split even before getting into the tasks assigned to the conference. A development of that nature would have hindered rather than aided the cause of solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico. This was particularly understood by Eneida Vasquez (representative of the Puerto Rican Peace Council), as well as all the representatives of the liberation forces.
Although having profound differences with the PRSC during the course of its existence, the representatives of El Comite-MINP, nevertheless, understood that the situation could not be allowed to continue to deteriorate in detriment to the Puerto Rican people and the PRSC itself. Therefore, we requested special privilege to address the plenary. This was granted. During our intervention– which was recently misrepresented by the comrades of the Guardian of whom we have asked rectifications–we attempted, among other things, to point out not only the errors reflected in the proposed alternative drafts but also expressed clear opposition to the ecclecticism and disguised attempt by forces within the PRSC to impose their own ideological conceptions not only upon the PRSC but also the national liberation forces. In essence this tendency denies the centrality of armed struggle, projects an incoherent and simplistic view of imperialism (“it oppresses all people”–in the colony), and denies the struggle for socialism (first independence, then socialism).
In the view of a number of delegates at the conference the intervention by our representative–our First Secretary Federico Lora–was a factor in bringing back the conference to its stated objectives. Soon after a series of amendments were made to the original draft by delegates who, not satisfied with its content, understood it was more constructive and beneficial to the conference if efforts were made to improve the original document. A number of these amendments reflect the concern of the SFC documents as well as aspects of the March 1 Bloc and of the observers present at the conference. Among these amendments were: a recognition of armed struggle as the determinant factor in the liberation struggle, and socialism as its objective; recognition of the strategic role of the national minorities in the US; a more precise definition of imperialism and a clearer presentation on the oppression of women.
On the last day of the conference the PRSC delegates selected its new leadership–the National Board. The election of the new board represents a qualitative change within the PRSC as emphasis was given toward expanding the social composition of the PRSC reaching toward the oppressed national minorities and those actively engaged in the struggles of the working class and oppressed sectors in North American society. Moreover, the election of members of El Comite-MINP, the Nationalist Party and the PSP can set the basis for bringing into the PRSC all those forces that can build an effective solidarity movement around the Puerto Rican National Liberation struggle–both in this country and among the liberation forces in Puerto Rico. Despite this meaningful progress, we have no illusions about the political differences that exist within the PRSC. We hope these differences are struggled through principlely, free of manipulation and organizational sectarianism, and–always taking into consideration the objective that gives the PRSC its reason for being–Solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico.