Filiberto Ojeda Ríos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Filiberto Ojeda Ríos
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | April 26, 1933 |
| Died | September 23, 2005 (aged 72) Hormigueros, Puerto Rico
|
| Cause of death | Shot by the FBI |
| Nationality | Puerto Rican |
| Occupation | Independence activist and militant |
| Organization | Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña Boricua Popular Army |
| Movement | Independence movement in Puerto Rico Communism |
Filiberto Ojeda Ríos (born April 26, 1933 – died September 23, 2005) was a Puerto Rican who strongly believed Puerto Rico should be an independent country. He helped start a group called the Boricua Popular Army, also known as Los Macheteros. He also helped create an earlier group called the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña (FALN).
In 1990, Ojeda Ríos became a person wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This was because of his role in a large money theft in 1983 and because he did not show up for court. On September 23, 2005, he died in a shootout with FBI agents. This happened after they surrounded his house in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico.
Many people, including officials in Puerto Rico, had questions about how the FBI handled the situation. Ojeda Ríos's death was a big event for Puerto Ricans around the world. The FBI director, Robert Mueller, asked for an investigation by the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. This report said that the FBI agents followed their rules and that Ojeda Ríos shot first. However, a group in Puerto Rico called the Civil Rights Commission later said his death was "illegal."
Early Life and Music
Filiberto Ojeda Ríos was born on April 26, 1933. His birthplace was the Río Blanco area in Naguabo, Puerto Rico. He started college when he was just fifteen years old. People described him as very smart and interesting.
When he was a child, he learned to play the trumpet and guitar. He even joined a salsa band called La Sonora Ponceña. This band was from Ponce, Puerto Rico. He played both instruments in the band.
Groups and Activities
In the 1960s, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos started a group. It was called the Armed Revolutionary Independence Movement, or MIRA. This group wanted Puerto Rico to be independent.
Later, another group he was involved with was responsible for many bombings. These happened in the United States between 1974 and 1983. One serious event was the 1975 bombing of the Fraunces Tavern. Four people who were not involved in the conflict died there.
On September 12, 1983, a group called Los Macheteros took about $7 million. This happened at a Wells Fargo money storage place in West Hartford, Connecticut.
In 1989, a jury found Ojeda Ríos not guilty. This was for charges of shooting at FBI agents during his arrest in 1985. He was let out on bond. His lawyers argued that he had not been given a quick trial. On September 23, 1990, he removed an electronic tag from his ankle. This tag was a condition of his release. After that, he became a person wanted by the law.
In July 1992, Ojeda Ríos was sentenced to 55 years in prison. He was also fined $600,000. This sentence was given while he was not present in court. It was for his part in the Wells Fargo money theft.
His Death
On September 23, 2005, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos was at his home. It was on the edge of Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. FBI agents from the Hostage Rescue Team surrounded his house. He was shot and died. This FBI team had recently received special training.
The FBI shared information about the event in a press release. They said their San Juan office was involved. According to the FBI, they were watching the area. They had reports that Ojeda Ríos was seen at the house. The FBI believed their team had been noticed. So, they decided to go ahead and serve an arrest warrant. The FBI said that as agents got close, Ojeda Ríos started shooting. One agent was hurt. An official report later said this daytime approach was very risky. It was not the best choice for the FBI.
Ojeda Ríos's wife, Elma Beatriz Rosado Barbosa, said the FBI agents started shooting first. A neighbor, Héctor Reyes, also said the FBI started shooting around 3:00 pm. However, a report from the Office of the Inspector General said an FBI agent used a "flash bang" grenade. This was a non-lethal device used to distract. It was set off outside the house before any shooting began. Rosado may have thought this explosion was gunfire from the FBI. The FBI press release stated that Ojeda Ríos opened his front door and shot at agents. The FBI then shot back and set up a safe area.
Ojeda Ríos's wife also said he offered to give himself up to a journalist. But she claimed the agents refused this offer. The Office of the Inspector General report found that the FBI did not fully follow its own rules. This was about using negotiators during the situation.
The FBI did not go into the house until the next day, after noon. Inside, they found Ojeda Ríos dead on the floor. He had been hit by a single bullet that went into his lung. The U.S. Department of Justice report said he likely died from blood loss. This would have been about 15 to 30 minutes after he was shot. This means he probably died between 6:23 p.m. and 6:38 p.m. He was buried in Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
What Happened Next
The Puerto Rico Commission on Civil Rights looked into the death. One of the doctors who examined Ojeda Ríos said she could not know the exact time he died. She could only guess how many hours he had been dead. She also said she did not think a 72-year-old man, who had heart surgery, could have lived for an hour after being shot.
The FBI was criticized for not telling Puerto Rican officials about the operation beforehand. But the OIG report said the FBI decided not to tell them. This was because they were worried about information leaking out. The report found that the FBI missed chances to give correct information to the public. This included why they waited to go into Ojeda's house. However, the report said the delay in entering the house was justified.
Politicians in Puerto Rico, from different parties, criticized how the event was handled. The governor at the time, Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, said the FBI's actions were "improper." He wanted to know why his government was not told beforehand. The FBI did not release more information. They said it was for security reasons and to protect their agents. Three Puerto Rican members of the U.S. Congress asked for more specific FBI information. Amnesty International asked for an independent investigation. They wanted to see if it was an "extra-judicial execution." A United Nations General Assembly committee called the killing an "assassination."
The Puerto Rico Department of Justice took the FBI to federal court. They wanted information for their own investigation. But a U.S. District Court judge ruled against them. A federal appeals court also said that sharing the information would show how the FBI captures dangerous fugitives. The case then went to the United States Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court refused to hear the lawsuit.
The Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice investigated the event. This was because of questions from the media and officials in Puerto Rico. The report said that the FBI agents followed their rules for using force. It also said that Ojeda Ríos started the shooting. The report found that Ojeda Ríos "clearly posed a threat to the agents." It said he was shot only after he refused to give up. This happened when he was seen aiming a pistol at an agent.
See also
- List of FBI controversies
- Oscar López Rivera
- Carlos Muñiz Varela
