By Carlos “Carlito” Rovira
Below is a 20” X 24”, acrylic paint portrait of the legendary Puerto Rican Nationalist, Blanca Canales, one of my favorite super-sheroes. Her story always fascinated me whenever my parents spoke of her with admiration during my childhood.
Blanca Canales lived from February 17, 1906, to July 25, 1996. She was an educator and staunch leader of the Nationalist Party in Jayuya, Puerto Rico. As a child she was reared by parents who advocated independence for the homeland from U.S. domination. By the time Blanca reached adulthood she became well versed in the anti-colonial cause.
Canales was motivated to join the Nationalist Party due to her disdain for the repressive U.S. colonial presence in Puerto Rico, especially during the 1948 Law 53, also known as the Gag Law. This decree made it illegal to mention independence in literature, recorded music or public speeches. In addition, waving or possessing a Puerto Rican flag was a criminal offense punishable by 10 years in prison.
When Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos rose to the presidency of the Nationalist Party Blanca participated in organizing the women’s section of that entity, known as Daughters of Freedom. Her charisma and convictions inspired many women to join the ranks of the Nationalist Party.
But Blanca Canales is best known for leading the famous October 30, 1950, Jayuya Uprising, part of the general Nationalist revolt in Puerto Rico. The Nationalist Party leadership chose to strike with armed force once their intelligence operatives discovered a secret plan the U.S. colonizers preparing to destroy the independence movement with violence.
On that morning, Canales led a contingency of insurrectionists in an armed attack on the police headquarters of Jayuya, where a fierce gun battle ensued for several hours. Police officials were shocked by the unexpected tenacity of the Nationalists. Overwhelmed and outnumbered, colonial officials and police were compelled to surrender and exit the building with their hands raised in the air.
Puerto Rican Nationalists also launched armed attacks on police and government facilities in other cities, Utuado, Arecibo, Mayaguez, Naranjito, Peñuelas, and Ponce. In San Juan, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos and other patriots defended the Nationalist Party headquarters in a shootout with colonial police. Blanca Canales was one of many women who took part in this significant chapter in Puerto Rican history.
Immediately after the Nationalists gained control of Jayuya, Blanca proceeded to give the command to burn down the despised police facility. Surrounded by crowds of residents, the brave patriots defiantly raised the outlawed Puerto Rican flag. With her weapon raised in the air, Canales shouted the solemn historic words of the struggle — “QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO LIBRE!” She boldly declared the independence of Puerto Rico!
The response of U.S. colonialism to the insurrectionists was swift and brutal. The National Guard was utilized to repress the revolt including bombing Jayuya and Utuado from warplanes in a desperate rush to subdue the Nationalists.
The Jayuya Uprising is an episode in Puerto Rican history that remains virtually hidden from mainstream education. Puerto Rico’s colonial status points to the plunderous intentions of the U.S. in Latin America and Caribbean. What the Jayuya Uprising did was to cause political embarrassment for U.S. rulers, who were quick to depict the situation as a conflict among Puerto Ricans.
Blanca’s love for the homeland was uncompromising. Despite the revolt being suppressed and having sacrificed so much by spending years in prison, her courageous role in the liberation struggle is unforgettable. Her legacy will surely give rise to future revolutionaries that will fight for a free Puerto Rico.
QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO LIBRE!
carlitoboricua 