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Puerto Rico
Political repression plays out state by state — shaped by local institutions, prosecutors, and movements for defense. These are the documented political prisoners and cases the census holds for Puerto Rico.
478Documented
1In custody
334Released
1Awaiting trial
Eras of repression in Puerto Rico
Where Puerto Rico’s entries fall across the census’s historical eras.
2000s 274
1950s 91
1930s 33
1980s 24
1970s 22
1940s 20
Recent dashboard entries from Puerto Rico
The newest published events and reporting located in Puerto Rico, updated automatically from the live dashboard.
Protest
Activists protest ICE detentions in a San Juan neighborhood
Arrest
Tito Kayak arrested at an anti-government protest outside La Fortaleza
Protest
Madres Contra la Guerra protest US militarization at Muniz Air Base
Documented cases
478 entries in the census — every one stays in the record, whether the case is open or closed.
C
Celestino Vilella Mercado
The PIP representative on Fajardo’s local election board testified in 1958 about his arrest during the 1950 re...
R
Ramón Villa Rivera
Ramón Villa Rivera was a Puerto Rican nationalist from Mayagüez arrested in 1941 for refusing compulsory Unite...
A
Alberto Vázquez
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
M
Marta Vázquez
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
E
Eliasio Vélez
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
V
Venancio Vélez
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
J
José Vélez Acosta
Released
José Vélez Acosta was one of dozens of Puerto Rican residents and solidarity activists who served substantial...
E
Emma Vélez Hernández
Released
Emma Vélez Hernández was arrested for trespass on the U.S. Navy bombing range at Vieques, Puerto Rico, as part...
C
Carlos Vélez Rieckehoff
Held at Puerta de Tierra and moved with other Law 53 defendants on November 10, 1950. His wife Luisa Guadalupe...
W
Wilson W. Sánchez
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
H
Héctor Xavier Otero
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
C
Cacimar Zenón
Released
Cacimar Zenón was arrested for Vieques Zenón fishing family resistance as part of the sustained 1999-2003 civi...
Y
Yabureibo Zenón
Released
Yabureibo Zenón was arrested for Vieques boating actions to stop bombing of inhabited island as part of the su...
N
Néstor de Jesús
Released
Néstor de Jesús was arrested for MST second brigade trespass on Vieques range as part of the sustained 1999-20...
J
Juan de Jesús Medina
A Jayuya resident prosecuted for alleged malicious arson after the 1950 uprising. His 1958 testimony describes...
J
Julio de Santiago
The acting president of the Nationalist Party was prosecuted for violating selective-service law and imprisone...
J
José Ángel Chacón
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
M
Miguel Ángel Dávila
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
J
José Ángel Hernández
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
J
José Ángel Morot
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
R
Rafael Ángel Rivera
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
M
Miguel Ángel Vilches
Released
One of approximately 1,500 activists arrested between 1999 and 2003 for civil disobedience at the U.S. Navy's...
Institutions in Puerto Rico
Prisons, jails, and detention centers in Puerto Rico that appear in the census’s case files.
Metropolitan Detention Center GuaynaboGuaynabo, Puerto Rico
95 cases
Federal Detention Center, GuaynaboSan Juan, Puerto Rico
93 cases
Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) GuaynaboGuaynabo, Puerto Rico
20 cases
MDC GuaynaboSan Juan, Puerto Rico
15 cases
La PrincesaSan Juan, Puerto Rico
9 cases
Vega Alta Women's PrisonVega Alta, Puerto Rico
4 cases
Arecibo Women's JailArecibo, Puerto Rico
1 case
District Jail, AreciboArecibo, Puerto Rico
1 case