Oscar López Rivera

Who is Oscar López Rivera?

Oscar López Rivera is a Puerto Rican Nationalist who was convicted and sentenced to 70 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery, interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition to aid in the commission of a felony, and interstate transportation of stolen vehicles. He was among the 16 Puerto Rican nationalists offered conditional clemency by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1999, but he rejected the offer. His sister, Zenaida López, said he refused the offer because on parole, he would be in "prison outside prison." Congressman Pedro Pierluisi, has stated that "the primary reason that López Rivera did not accept the clemency offer extended to him in 1999 was because it had not also been extended to fellow independence prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres."

The president's offer was strongly opposed by Republicans and law enforcement agencies. President Clinton defended his clemency decision stating that López Rivera was never convicted of crimes that resulted in deaths or injuries. López Rivera was never accused of any act of violence.

López Rivera is said to be "among the longest held political prisoners in the history of Puerto Rico and in the world." He has been jailed for 32 years, 9 months and 23 days.