Washington D.C. – Ricardo Palmera, known in Colombia as Simon Trinidad, is going on trial for a second time on Mar. 26, 2007. The first trial resulted in a hung jury and Judge Hogan was forced to declare a mistrial. The U.S. prosecutors asked for a second trial after failing to win the first time.

Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera will spend the upcoming holiday season in a jail outside Washington D.C. The FARC leader will have no visitors. He is forbidden to see or talk with friends and family. The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera is urging everyone who is concerned about justice to send Palmera a holiday greeting card.

Los Angeles, CA – Fernando Suarez Del Solar, from Escondido, father of Jesus Aleberto Suarez del Solar Navarro, a U.S. Marine killed in Iraq, spoke at a rally Aug. 30, in Hollenbeck Park in the heart of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles. Mr. Solar has been an active vocal critic of the U.S. war on Iraq and the high casualty rate of Latinos in the war.

Trial ends with hung jury, mistrial declared

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera is smiling tonight. Today in U.S. Federal Court, Palmera and progressive people everywhere scored a big victory as the jury sent its third note saying it could not agree. Dour-faced Judge Hogan was forced to declare a mistrial. As many in the U.S. celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, none will be happier than Ricardo Palmera and his supporters in the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. People throughout Colombia will be slapping each other on the back and toasting the jurors who took a stand against the sheer injustice of this trial.

Los Angeles, CA – Demanding “Escuelas si, guerra no!” – yes to schools no to war – one hundred parents, students and teachers attended a teach-in and rally, June 4. Latinos Against the War, El Centro CSO and the Roosevelt Revolutionary Students group of East L.A.'s Roosevelt High School sponsored the event.

Los Angeles, CA – The Latino community has taken a strong stand against the Bush war drive and invasion against the people of Iraq. Here in Los Angeles, a new group, named Latinos Against War In Iraq – LAWII – was formed and immediately plunged into a series of demonstrations.

“You Are a Liar!”

Washington D.C. – As the trial of Ricardo Palmera continues, a parade of corrupt officials and paid informants are passing through the federal courtroom here. With Judge Hogan looking on, Colonel Mora from the Colombian military took the stand. The Colombian military has the worst human rights record in Latin America. Now in its 42nd year, Colombia’s civil war pits the Colombian military against of the organization Palmera represented in peace negotiations, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC.

Los Angeles, CA – Marking the anniversary of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium Against War, hundreds of people took to the streets of Highland Park on Aug. 24, chanting “Raza Si, Guerra No!” – bringing life to a popular chant from the Viet Nam War era. They marched in one of Los Angeles's oldest communities, which is dotted by monuments to those who died in past U.S. wars. Throughout Aztlan (the southwestern United States), commemorations of the massive Aug. 29 Chicano Moratorium Against War took place. Thousands participated in events, many of which were covered by mainstream newspapers and television stations during the 2 weeks surrounding Aug. 29

Los Angeles, CA – An important anti-war conference, titled “Community Conference Against The War: Building Community Power and International Solidarity” was held at the Hollenbeck Park Recreation Center on Feb. 23.

On December 19, 1998, Governor Arne Carlson topped-off his career with Operation Cold Snap, a brutal assault on Native American and environmental protesters. 600 police and state troopers attempted to end a standoff at the Highway 55 re-route site. Protesters were maced, beaten and thrown in jail.

Los Angeles, CA – A room full of determined Boyle Heights parents and community leaders faced down 2 bureaucrats from the Los Angeles schools, demanding decent conditions for the education of their children. The meeting, at the El Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) office on Dec. 21, was the latest in a string of actions taken by the group in the Clean Schools and Quality Education campaign.

Los Angeles, CA – Parents here were fed up with garbage covered school grounds. So along with the Community Service Organization, they decided to do something about it. “Our schools should be as clean as those in the west side or as those of the rich,” said a CSO parent member. “Let's see their children digest education from a dirty, filthy plate.”

Minneapolis, MN – March 10, protestors fighting to stop the Reroute of Highway 55 celebrated seven months of a successful united stand against a multi-million dollar road project. Following the largest police raid in Minnesota history last December 20, there have been important developments in the struggle.

Los Angeles, CA – It was a great jam session, with Los Lobos playing their original songs, traditional Mexican music, some rock and Chicano blues till 12 a.m., May 7, at our own East L.A. College.

Los Angeles, CA – On Nov. 18, members of the New Raza Left and other community members came together to draft a list of demands for a campaign to make changes in the deplorable conditions of the Los Angeles public school system. The meeting identified three main areas of focus and came up with demands to be placed on the school district.

Washington DC - Smiling at supporters with his fist in the air, Ricardo Palmera, a leading Colombian rebel was led from the courtroom by guards Oct. 12. Palmera, a negotiator and spokesperson for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was kidnapped and brought to the United States. He is now on trial in Federal Court.

Minneapolis, MN - More than 500 people came together September 25 under the slogan “Stop the Land Grab!” The protest was organized by opponents of the Highway 55 reroute and activists who have been fighting against the demolition of public housing on the North side of Minneapolis.

Los Angeles, CA – The New Raza Left Los Angeles, after summing up our last campaign against Proposition 21 has decided to now focus our organizing efforts on educational justice to improve the bad conditions in our schools. In the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) conditions have reached crisis levels.

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera goes on trial here Oct. 10, in one of the most bizarre cases ever. Palmera is a negotiator for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC. The FARC controls 40% of Colombia and has 27,000 armed fighters. The trial of Palmera is an attempt by the Bush administration to criminalize a national liberation movement.

“You don’t care about Black People”

Chicago, IL -“I feel about UIC like Kanye West said about George Bush: You don’t care about Black people,” snapped Lou Jones, state representative from Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. She was confronting administrators at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) about charges of neglect by Black and Latino medical students.