Olga Viscal Garriga
Encyclopedia
Dr. Olga Viscal Garriga (May 5, 1929 – June 1995), was a public orator and political activist. Garriga was an advocate of Puerto Rican independence who was sentenced to 8 years in a United States penitentiary because she refused to recognize the authority of the United States over Puerto Rico.
, freedom of speech
, and self determination in Puerto Rico.
where she earned her Doctoral Degree in Political Science
s. During the late 1940s, and while finishing her Ph.D., she became a student leader and spokesperson of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
's branch in Rio Piedras. The Party was headed by Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos
, and favored the forceful expulsion of the United States from Puerto Rico.
Viscal, who befriended Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos, was a talented orator and political activist. Although she was not directly involved in any violent act in 1950, Viscal was arrested because she participated in a demonstration that turned deadly in Old San Juan, after U.S. forces opened fire on the demonstrators. In the violent confrontation between the "Nationalists" and the "Forces" of the United States, one of the demonstrators was killed. She was detained and housed in the "La Princesa" jail. During her trial in the federal court in "Old San Juan", she was uncooperative with the U. S. Government prosecution and refused to recognize the authority of the U.S. over Puerto Rico. She was sentenced to eight years in prison for contempt of court and was released after serving five years.
, where she was the Puerto Rican representative to the Cuban Parliament. As such, she met with Fidel Castro
, Che Guevara
and Albert Einstein
. She was a very devout Catholic
, and thus became disillusioned with Castro's politics and his atheist policies. After publicly criticizing Castro, she escaped from Cuba with the help of her younger sister, Irma. Olga Viscal Garriga died in June 1995 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
. She was the mother of three children, Pedro, Olga and Maria Luz.
.
Early years
Olga Viscal's (birth name Olga Isabel Viscal Garriga) parents, Francisco Viscal Bravo and Laura Garriga Gonzalez, moved from Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, New York, where she was born, in the in early 1920s. Olga, who was one of seven children born to the couple, was the 4th great-granddaughter of Field Marshal Don Juan Andres Daban y Busterino, who served as the Spanish-appointed Governor and General Captain of Puerto Rico from 1783-89. Her parents returned to Puerto Rico and settled in Rio Piedras where she was raised and educated. Olga Viscal was witness to the discrimination of Puerto Ricans in New York and strongly disagreed with U.S. policies limiting human rightsHuman rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
, and self determination in Puerto Rico.
Student activist
Viscal enrolled in the University of Puerto RicoUniversity of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
where she earned her Doctoral Degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
s. During the late 1940s, and while finishing her Ph.D., she became a student leader and spokesperson of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...
's branch in Rio Piedras. The Party was headed by Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos
Pedro Albizu Campos
Don Pedro Albizu Campos was a Puerto Rican politician and one of the leading figures in the Puerto Rican independence movement. He was the leader and president of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from 1930 until his death...
, and favored the forceful expulsion of the United States from Puerto Rico.
Viscal, who befriended Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos, was a talented orator and political activist. Although she was not directly involved in any violent act in 1950, Viscal was arrested because she participated in a demonstration that turned deadly in Old San Juan, after U.S. forces opened fire on the demonstrators. In the violent confrontation between the "Nationalists" and the "Forces" of the United States, one of the demonstrators was killed. She was detained and housed in the "La Princesa" jail. During her trial in the federal court in "Old San Juan", she was uncooperative with the U. S. Government prosecution and refused to recognize the authority of the U.S. over Puerto Rico. She was sentenced to eight years in prison for contempt of court and was released after serving five years.
Later years
After her release from prison, Viscal went to CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where she was the Puerto Rican representative to the Cuban Parliament. As such, she met with Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
and Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
. She was a very devout Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, and thus became disillusioned with Castro's politics and his atheist policies. After publicly criticizing Castro, she escaped from Cuba with the help of her younger sister, Irma. Olga Viscal Garriga died in June 1995 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. She was the mother of three children, Pedro, Olga and Maria Luz.
Legacy
Olga Viscal was the inspiration for the main character "Antígona", in the play "La Pasión según Antígona Pérez" (The Passion according to Antígona Pérez), written by Puerto Rican playwright Luis Rafael SánchezLuis Rafael Sanchez
Dr. Luis Rafael Sánchez a.k.a. "Wico" is a Puerto Rican playwright. Possibly his best known play is La Pasión según Antigona Pérez , a tragedy based on the life of Olga Viscal Garriga-Early years:...
.
See also
- Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950sPuerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950sThe Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950s was a call for independence and uprising by the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party against United States Government rule of Puerto Rico and against the approval of the creation of the political status "Free Associated State" for Puerto Rico which...
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican Nationalist PartyPuerto Rican Nationalist PartyThe Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. Its main objective is to work for Puerto Rican Independence.In 1919, José Coll y Cuchí, a member of the Union Party of Puerto Rico, felt that the Union Party was not doing enough for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and he...