In short, "Springboard to What?" promises to be the most massive educational and organizing campaign yet carried out among US servicemen and women in support of self-determination for the Puerto Rican people, and is a reflection of the growing anti-imperialist sentiment among northamerican GI's.

Anyone wishing to help us in this campaign should get in touch with us as

soon as you can.

¡QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO LIBRE!

STOP SPRINGBOARD!

[From Direct from Cuba, Oct. 30, 1970]

VENCEREMOS BRIGADE IMPOSES ITS RHYTHM

(By Joaquin Andrade)

The first and second time they came to Cuba, they tested the edge of their machetes. They became enthusiastic and returned to tell their experiences in the U.S., to show their calloused hands, their sun-tanned arms and faces and the straw hats they had kept as souvenirs. That small group of young men and women then lived through the great experience: “We now have the absolute certainty that American propaganda lies shamelessly".

This time the Brigade averages 18 years (an obvious fact in the camp) and comes for different reasons: some have been discriminated against and don't forget, others were locked up in reform schools because as children they belonged to Chicano or Puerto Rican gangs; and others instinctively reject wars and violence. The 406 members of the third Venceremos Brigade come from the four corners of the United States and are working in the citrus project of the Revolution in the Isle of Pines.

COMPAÑERO IN THE CAMP

At 5:00 A.M. the "de pie" (on your feet) is heard and the colorful kerchiefs, shirts, headbands begin to move. Eight hours of hard work await them, almost as hard as their day in New York, Alabama, Buffalo, or California, but the "nigger" there is the comrade here; the "dirty Indian" of the reservation becomes a friend; the "chicano" or puertorican of the slums becomes a Latin American brother. Eight hours of fertilizing, sowing, picking fruit under the hot, tropical sun but they are volunteers, and although there's no time for smiles because the effort is too great, from time to time they can breathe deep, take a small break, dry their brow, and drink water.

IMPOSING THEIR VISION

The first impression of the camp can be disconcerting for an unprepared observer: Evelyn, an eighteen-year old black girl dresses with African robes: Ramón, a young Cheyenne indian has long braids, and Rene, a black Puerto Rican, has an enormous head of hair ("Why should I cut it? This is my natural hair, so why should I accept the esthetic concepts of the whites? They tell me 'this' is beautiful and 'that' is ugly and it invariably turns out that what is ugly is my race . . .”). The first impression fades rapidly, as if the multicolor dresses, strange hairdos, headbands, beards,—and the enthusiastic look of the big boy who runs to greet the group of small Vietnamese-were imposing its vision of the world.

PIONEERS

So far, more than 1,300 Americans have come to Cuba with the Venceremos Brigade. The first were the 260 courageous pioneers who broke the blockade; the second group consisted of 650 young men and women, and the third consisted of 406 who worked in the Isle of Youth during the month of September.

The original idea to create the Brigade started with a group of young Americans who visited Cuba for the Tenth Anniversary of the Revolution; they proposed the idea to Fidel of sending no more than 25 young people to contribute their technical skills. The suggestion was analyzed and finally Fidel and the Americans proposed the creation of a "Venceremos" Brigade to participate in the Harvest of the Ten Millions.

Official circles in the United States began to get uneasy. Some senator suggested that drastic measures be taken to prevent the Brigade members from becoming dangerous agitators upon their return to U.S. soil. But the youngsters were not intimidated: three brigades have come to date and more are expected in the near future.

"REALLY LEARNING"

They attend lectures, on Central-America (specifically on Guatemala) and on Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile. They know very little of what is happening south of the Rio Bravo. Exclamations are heard when a Guatemalan comrade tells them how many children die every year in his country or when a young Brazilian tells them the life expectancy of the northeast of his country, when they find out that political prisoners are savagely tortured with the advice and training of American agents. "The most useful part of trip, up to now, has been the lectures", commented a Puerto Rican, "We are really learning". And they ask constantly, with great eagerness: Susan wants to clear up some confused points of Marighela's "Mini-manual of urban guerrilla"; Bob would like to know how the Tupamaros function and organize themselves because "we could do the same in many cities of the United States"; a blond long-haired young man worries about "What actions could we carry out to cooperate with Latin American revolutionaries in their struggle against Yankee imperialism?".

Undoubtedly many of the young people of the Venceremos Brigade have gathered fundamental experiences during their brief stay in the Isle of Pines. The Cuban Prime Minister opened a parenthesis to publicly thank the 400 members of the Venceremos Brigade, made up of young North Americans from 25 states of the union and by young Puerto Ricans (the 400 were present on the reviewing stand).

Fidel Castro announced that the brigade, which worked in the Isle of Pines citrus groves to the south of Havana province, has worked well in the fertilization, planting, picking and irrigation of the fruit. The brigade also built a childcare center.

The Cuban leader then outlined a new task for the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution: saving electricity.

After Fidel Castro offered figures on the increase in the resumption of electricity in recent years, both in industry and dwellings since in Cuba all current is generated by thermoelectric plants, the increase has meant greater petroleum expenditures.

He announced that despite the new plants in Cienfuegos and Nuevitas (in the central and eastern parts of the country, respectively), the western region will continue to confront deficits, especially during the peak evening hours of greatest consumption.

Fidel Castro said that the industrial sector must take specific electricity-saving measures to aid the success of the program.

Fidel Castro ended his speech by expressing his condolences to the people of Egypt and the Arab peoples for the death today of President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

The Cuban Prime Minister called Nasser "one of the most outstanding leaders and one of the figures of greatest authority in the Arab world.” He said that his death at this time "is a severe blow for the revolutionary movements."

Fidel Castro declared: "We want to publicly express our profound sorrow to the people of the United Arab Republic and to the Arab peoples, and convey to them our condolence and solidarity.'

[From the Venceremos Brigade Bulletin]

EASTLAND "INTERNAL SECURITY" REPORT VB CONDEMNS NEW WITCH HUNT The Venceremos Brigade was the primary target of a special report from Senator James O. Eastland's Subcommittee on Internal Security made public April 16 in Washington. The Brigade released the following statement concerning the Subcommittee's findings:

"The Venceremos Brigade must comment on the special report issued last week by the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Internal Security, titled, 'Investigation of the Communist Threat to the United States Through the Caribbean'. What follows this inflammatory title is an avalanche of crude, factually outrageous, and slanderous charges against the Brigade, concluding by labelling it a 'tool of (the)

Cuban intelligence apparatus', and 'one of the most extensive and dangerous infiltration operations ever undertaken by a foreign power against the United States'. At a time when 75% of the U.S. public supported by members in Congress itself favor an end to the blockade against Cuba, it is logical that diehards without integrity would resort to the most shameful tactic-a full-scale witch hunt-frantically trying to give new credence to the present criminal U.S. policies. For them, the tattered image of the communist threat from Cuba is the grand justification for continuing both the economic embargo and an imposed ignorance about Cuba in this country.

Twenty-two years ago, in the name of 'national security', Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were murdered, countless other innocent people imprisoned or driven from their homes and jobs, and the entire nation thrown into a state of fear and suspicion. Common working people were suddenly elevated to the title of nuclear spies, allegedly gaining access to the top military secrets of the U.S. government, as agents of an international conspiracy. This was certainly one of the most tragic and shameful periods of American history.

Ever since then, some tottering reactionaries in the U.S. Senate have tried to revive those old days. In the Subcommittee's report, they dredge up a new version of the 'nuclear spy theory', complete with code names, intelligence officers posing as waiters, and indoctrination sessions for naive 'political dupes'. Behind this is supposedly a vast network of over 2,000 U.S. citizens accused of 'infiltrating' their own country in the service of Cuba's 'intelligence directorate.' These fantastic lies and distortions must be completely exposed. The Venceremos Brigade grew out of the movements of the sixties: the millions who demonstrated their outrage at the massive U.S. military invasion of Indochina, and the disastrous failure of the 'Great Society' to guarantee even the most minimal human and civil rights to the nation's racial minorities. It was activists from these movements who travelled on the first Venceremos Brigade in 1969, demonstrating once more their repudiation of our government's aggressive foreign policies by breaking the U.S. blockade against Cuba. It is no accident that Cuba—a country that was sending medical brigades to Vietnam while the U.S. was sending bombs-made a strong impression upon these visitors.

This beginning is a far cry from what the Subcommittee would have us believethat the Venceremos brigade was a vicious scheme plotted by 'Cuban intelligence' experts, and implemented 'through the clever manipulation of a small group of leftist radicals.'

What is the real reason for the whole train of absurd charges levelled against the Brigade? Over the last few years, the Brigade has sent 2500 young people to Cuba, who have returned to the U.S. to tell their friends, neighbors and co-workers what they saw in socialist Cuba. The Brigade, with the support of many groups, has organized large public events in 14 major U.S. cities—such as EXPO-CUBA and CUBA CHILE '74. For the first time, thousands of Americans have received a glimpse of what Brigade members saw for themselves in Cuba: not the nation of disguised spies pictured by the Subcommittee, but a nation united by the common goals of providing a decent life for all its people; eliminating all forms of racial and economic injustice; and pursuing a foreign policy based upon cooperation, and respect for the sovereignty of nations. The Brigade activities, by contrast, have also exposed the brutal nature of U.S. foreign policy-from the carpet-bombing and kidnapping of children in Indochina; to the hiring of mercenaries for the Bay of Pigs fiasco; to the open plotting of the barbaric fascist coup in Chile.

It is no wonder that those in Congress who have most staunchly defended these criminal policies would now abuse their legislative powers in a cynical attempt to discredit the work of the Venceremos Brigade, and spread still another series of lies about the Cuban people.

The nature of the Subcommittee's sham investigation is further revealed by the fact that not one of the criminals who have publicly claimed credit for terrorist actions against the Venceremos Brigade has ever been found worthy of 'investigation'-let alone termed a 'threat to internal security'. Those responsible for the 1973 bombing of a national trade union center at New York's EXPOCUBA, the bombing of a church during a 1974 Cuban film festival in Los Angeles, or the recent terrorist raids and racist threats against the families of Brigade organizers in the South have never been arrested, tried or punished. These bandits have committed true crimes, and they are the ones who constitute the real threat to the security of the U.S. people. We demand that the silent complicity be ended, and these criminals be brought to justice.

For our part, the Venceremos Brigade will continue to respond to the growing interest of the U.S. public in the Cuban Revolution, and will continue its efforts to present an accurate picture of the achievements of the Cuban people, to strengthen the ties between the U.S. people and the people of Cuba, and to oppose all forms of U.S. aggression."

To Our Readers: We urge you to use all means at your disposal to publicly protest the witch-hunt tactics being pursued by the Eastland Subcommittee including newsletters of your own, newspapers, magazines, letters to the editor of local press, and a strong letter of protest to the Subcommittee itself. (Address: Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security, c/o Sen. James O. Eastland, Washington, D.C. 20520.) We would appreciate receiving a copy of any statements you make, as well as your suggestions for additional ways to effectively expose and denounce the Subcommittee's 'investigation'. Thank you for your support. Venceremos!-Eds.

[From the Daily World, Apr. 30, 19751

VENCEREMOS GROUP NAILS UNIT'S SLANDERS

NEW YORK, April 29.-The Venceremos Brigade to Cuba was the primary target of a special report by Sen. James O. Eastland's Judiciary Subcommittee on Internal Security, made public recently in Washington. The Venceremos Brigade, which has broken the U.S. government's blockade of Cuba by sending over 2,000 U.S. citizens to the island since 1969, denounced the report as an "avalanche of crude, factually outrageous, and slanderous charges against the Brigade."

The Subcommittee report slanderously labeled the Brigade as a "tool of Cuban intelligence."

The Brigade declared:

"At a time when 75 percent of the U.S. public, supported by members in Congress, favor an end to the blockade against Cuba, it is logical that diehards without integrity would resort to the most shameful tactic-a full scale witchhuntfrantically trying to give new credence to the present criminal U.S. policies.

"What is the real reason for the whole train of absurb charges leveled against the Brigade? Over the last few years the Brigade has sent 2,500 young people to Cuba, who have returned to the U.S. to tell their friends, neighbors and coworkers what they saw in socialist Cuba. The Brigade, with the support of many groups, has organized large public events in 14 major U.S. cities-such as EXPOCUBA and CUBA CHILE '74.

"For the first time, thousands of Americans have received a glimpse of what Brigade members saw for themselves in Cuba: not the nation of disguised spies pictured by the Subcommittee, but a nation united by the common goals of providing a decent life for all its people; eliminating all forms of racial and economic injustice; and pursuing a foreign policy based upon cooperation, and respect for the sovereignty of nations.

"The Brigade activities, by contrast, have also exposed the brutal nature of U.S. foreign policy-from the carpet-bombing and kidnapping of children in Indochina; to the hiring of mercenaries for the Bay of Pigs fiasco; to the open plotting of the barbaric fascist coup in Chile.

“The nature of the Subcommittee's sham investigation is further revealed by the fact that not one of the criminals who have publicly claimed credit for terrorist actions against the Venceremos Brigade has ever been found worthy of 'investigation.' let alone termed a 'threat to internal security.'

"Those responsible for the 1973 bombing of a national trade union center at New York's Expo-Cuba, the bombing of a church during a 1974 Cuban film festival in Los Angeles, or the recent terrorist raids and racist threats against the families of Brigade organizers in the South have never been arrested, tried or punished.

"For our part, the Venceremos Brigade will continue to respond to the growing interest of the U.S. public in the Cuban Revolution, and will continue its efforts to present an accurate picture of the achievements of the Cuban people, to strengthen the ties between the U.S. people and the people of Cuba, and to oppose all forms of U.S. aggression."

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 175 lbs.

Complexion: Dark

Occupation: Musician

Filiberto Ojeda Rios is an excellent trumpet player and has played with various orchestras of renown, such as the Miguelito Miranda Orchestra in 1955; with Vicentico Valdes Orchestra from 1958 to 1960 in New York; and with the Sonora Poncena de Quique Lucas Orchestra in Ponce in 1963.

Filiberto Ojeda Rios entered the University of Puerto Rico in 1948 at age 15 but, because of an argument about his career, he left home to dedicate himself to music. After a lengthy stay in New York, he returned to Puerto Rico in 1955, married to Blanca Iris Serrano and had two sons.

Upon his return to Puerto Rico, he went to live with his father and returned to the University of Puerto Rico while, at the same time, was employed by the Miguelito Miranda Orchestra. After only three months stay, Ojeda returned to New York with his family.

According to Puerto Rican police authorities, Filiberto Ojeda Rios went to Cuba in 1961 with his family, and became a member of the Cuban D.G.I.