In October 1950, a Puerto Rican independence attempt, called the Jayuya Uprising was quelled and Puerto Rico remained a possession of the United States. Shortly thereafter, Collazo and another man attempted to assassinate President Harry S. Truman. Collazo was arrested, tried, found guilty, sentenced to death and incarecerated.

Oddly, Truman was not against Puerto Rican independence. When confronted on why Truman would be the target of of the Nationalist movement, Collazo said that it was a signal to the world of Puerto Rico’s fight for independence.

Truman commuted the death sentence to life. Collazo was eligible for parole in 1966, but never acknowledged the conviction and thereby never applied for parole. In 1979, Carter commuted the sentence.

Puerto Rican Independence

From the 1960s through 1980 FALN claimed responsibility for many bombings in the United States to fight for independence. 16 members of FALN were convicted of various federal crimes, including sedition, with sentences far in excess of those sentences of other individuals convicted of similar of crimes.

In 1999, President Clinton, commuted the sentences of the 16 members of FALN over the objection of the United States Attorney, Congress, Senate, and Federal Bureau of Investigations. None of those commuted had ever been convicted of any acts where people were injured; all 16 had served at least 19 years in jail before their commutation.

Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña