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Para ver esta página en español, oprima aquí. House To Investigate Jail Break… Santini Won’t Intercede With Jeb Bush On Vieques… Negligence Alleged In Escape Of 5 Prisoners From Las Cucharas…NPP Senators Censor Calderon Over Bombing…Pereira Hopes End Prison Gang Control…Gov.: Status Not A Priority…P.R. Trips Keep Auburn Coach Smiling
House To Investigate Details Related To Escape December 31, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) — The House Government Committee will investigate the escape that took place Monday morning at Las Cucharas correctional institution in Ponce, announced Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Rep. Jose Varela Fernandez. According to the legislator, the spectacular escape is a sign of negligence. The representative said that a similar escape took place in 1991 and that a regulation was established to allow penal officials to fire at a helicopter if it should be approaching a correctional facility, which on this occasion did not occur. Among the aspects to be investigated is the fact that Ponce FURA station has helicopters and the aircraft were not activated.
Santini Won’t Intercede On Vieques December 31, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) — San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini has said he favors the withdrawal of U.S. Navy troops from Vieques, but will not ask Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for support when he meets with him in January. Santini will be spending four days with Bush to participate in the governor’s swearing-in ceremony. The Navy has notified Gov. Sila Calderon that they would resume military practices in Vieques on Jan. 13 at the latest. "We agree that the withdrawal must take place. Let’s see what happens. I won’t rush into anything," Santini said.
Negligence In Spectacular Escape From Las Cucharas December 30, 2002 PONCE (AP) — Interim Corrections Administrator Ileana Mattei Latimer affirmed on Monday that there was negligence in the escape of five prisoners that took place at the correctional institution in Ponce, known as Las Cucharas, but refused to identify anyone responsible. "I can say that there was an act of negligence and that we are going to take the pertinent measures. I don’t want to reveal the name until we conclude the preliminary investigation. We are investigating everybody, including the supervisors and we will take the necessary disciplinary actions," the corrections official said in a press conference. Five prisoners from maximum security escaped from the correctional facility Monday morning in a helicopter with two people that flew over the institution’s roof in an area designated for recreational purposes that has an open access, said the official. "Those five were in recess time along with other prisoners that were ready to go. Obviously, the person in charge of the recess is being interrogated," she said. The administrator agency could not say how many officials were in charge of the group’s security, since that is what is being investigated. She explained that one correctional official should be in charge of those five prisoners, while they are in their daily recess. The last official count of prisoners was performed at 6 a.m. and at the time 389 prisoners were present. "The preliminary investigation should end by Tuesday," Mattei Latimer said. The official urged citizens to cooperate with authorities and to provide any clue that can lead to the prisoners being apprehended. Corrections Secretary Miguel Pereira, confirmed the escape early Monday and did not rule out at the time that they had received help from correctional officials. He also said the pilot, who alleged he was kidnapped, was being questioned at Police headquarters. One of the prisoners who escaped was identified as Orlando Valdes Cartagena, from Rio Piedras, who was serving a 254-year sentence for murder. Another prisoner who escaped was identified as Jose A. Perez Rodriguez, from Barrio Obrero, in Santurce. He was serving a 319-year sentence for murder. Other escapes includes, Victor Gonzalez Diaz, was serving a 113-year sentence; Hector Marrero Diaz, of Rio Piedras, who was serving 109 years and Jose M. Rojas Tapia, who also was serving a more than 100 year sentence. Corrections officials, as well as police agents from the southern region continue the search for the escaped prisoners.
Prisoners Escape From Las Cucharas Maximum-Security Prison By WOW staff and AP December 30, 2002 Five prisoners escaped from the maximum security correctional facility Las Cucharas, in Ponce on Monday, confirmed Prison Regional Director Jaime Lopez, who said the prisoners escaped in a helicopter that landed on the institution’s roof. The five prisoners were serving sentences of more than 100 years. Lopez told The Associated Press that the last time the prisoners were counted was at 6 a.m., just hours before the escape, that took place at 9:20 a.m. Corrections Secretary Miguel Pereira, warned citizens that the prisoners are in fact very dangerous. Regional Police Commander Alejandro Figueroa urged citizens that anyone with information regarding the prisoners should contact the authorities immediately. One of the prisoners who escaped was identified as Orlando Valdes Cartagena, from Rio Piedras, who was serving a 254-year sentence for murder. Another prisoner who escaped was identified as Jose A. Perez Rodriguez, from Barrio Obrero, in Santurce. He was serving a 319-year sentence for murder. Other escapes includes, Victor Gonzalez Diaz, was serving a 113-year sentence; Hector Marrero Diaz, of Rio Piedras, who was serving 109 years and Jose M. Rojas Tapia, who also was serving a more than 100 year sentence. They all escaped in a helicopter that landed at 9:20 a.m. on the correctional institution’s ceiling. Corrections officials, as well as police agents from the southern region continue the search for the escaped prisoners who have not been arrested yet. The Police were questioning the pilot, whose name was not revealed, in Isla Grande where Caribbean Helicopters, which owns the helicopter, has its main offices.
NPP Senators Censor Calderon’s Objection To Bombing December 30, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) — New Progressive Party (NPP) Sen. Kenneth McClintock asked Gov. Sila M. Calderon to reevaluate her position regarding the resuming of military practices by the U.S. Navy in Vieques, beginning on Jan. 13. According to McClintock, the governor’s position in the worst message that the administration could send to the soldiers on their way to the Middle East and faced with an imminent war against the U.S. and Iraq. He said that it would be like denying them their right to an appropriate military training. "I urge Governor Calderon to re-evaluate her stand and to acknowledge that this soldiers’ training–a lot of Puerto Ricans included–has to be a top priority in times of war," McClintock said. For his part, NPP Sen. Orlando Parga, described as disloyal the letter sent by Calderon to the White House and affirmed that it is evidence of the ideological radicalism within the Popular Democratic Party. The Navy announced on Friday it would renew its military exercises on Jan. 13. Gov. Calderon, immediately, urged President George W. Bush to intervene in the matter and warned that the announcement will provoke uncertainty among Puerto Ricans.
Pereira Hopes To Eliminate Gang Control In Local Prisons December 30, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) — As the new head of the Corrections Department, two of Miguel Pereira’s goals will be to eliminate the control that gangs have over penal institutions and to close the Morales Feliciano class action suit, he said. Pereira added in published reports that he wants to expel and jail corrupt correctional officers. He said he will be firm while performing his duty to fight drug-trafficking inside penal institutions. The former police superintendent said gangs still control jails and he intends to end that control not with a tough hand, but with a fair one. However, he acknowledged that the changes must be carefully implemented to avoid provoking prison riots.
Gov.: Status Not Up For Debate By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS December 29, 2002 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Puerto Rico's political status is not a top priority for Gov. Sila Calderon and the island will not make a decision on its relationship with the United States before 2004 elections, Calderon said Sunday. Puerto Rico has been a U.S. commonwealth since 1952, when Congress approved the relationship. Deep divisions remain over the relationship, with some wanting to maintain the status quo, others supporting the call for statehood, and a smaller group backing full independence. Calderon's party, the Popular Democratic Party, supports the current relationship. Puerto Ricans voted to keep the island's commonwealth status in nonbinding referendums in 1967, 1993 and 1998. Calderon said she wants to create a commission to reach a consensus on the island's status before bringing a proposal to Washington. ``The status question is one of utmost importance but it is not a priority,'' she told The Associated Press. The priorities topping Calderon's agenda include economic development, rooting out government corruption and promoting family services, the governor said. The Caribbean island has become one of the wealthiest places in Latin America, though poverty remains more severe than on the U.S. mainland. Puerto Rico was wrested from Spain in 1898 after an invasion by U.S. forces. Puerto Ricans became American citizens in 1917. Although Puerto Ricans serve in the U.S. military, they cannot vote for president and have no vote congressional representation. They pay no U.S. income tax but the commonwealth receives more than $13 billion in federal funds each year.
Trips To Puerto Rico Keep Auburn Coach Smiling JIM O'CONNELL December 29, 2002 Don't be surprised if Auburn coach Cliff Ellis announces he has decided to build a vacation home in Puerto Rico. Ellis has taken the Tigers to the San Juan Shootout three times and the victories over Puerto Rico- Mayaguez, Denver and Troy State last week meant a third title in the eight-team tournament. Auburn also won the San Juan Shootout under Ellis in 1995 and 1999. In 1989, Ellis took Clemson to the championship game of the tournament, giving him an 11-1 record on the island. "I'd just like to play a lot more games there," Ellis said after bringing the championship trophy as a carry-on yet again.
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