Puerto Rican Businessmen Face Chinese Justice
Island Residents Remain Imprisoned in Shanghai
Dec 23, 2008
In October, 2008, a group of Puerto Rican businessmen was arrested by Chinese police officers on suspicion of participating in an illegal money exchange and buying counterfeit currency. The suspects were identified as Jose Laporte Espada, Michael Laporte, George Enrique Valdejulli, and Jorge Luis Hernandez. They had traveled to the People´s Republic of China on Oct. 12, 2008, in order to attend an international trade fair related to the construction industry. On the day before their return to Puerto Rico they exchanged roughly $1,000.00 with an unauthorized currency dealer and unknowingly received counterfeit money.
Jeffry Chen, the legal advisor for one of the suspects, confirmed on December 20, 2008, that in the coming weeks the detainees would be formally indicted. He also complained that he had not been granted access to the evidence in the case. He told the Puerto Rico Daily Sun that: “The case is shifted to prosecutors next week. I have not seen any documents regarding the prosecution”. Observers are concerned as to how well the men are being treated within the Chinese criminal justice system and as to whether or not they will be given some consideration as U.S. citizens. Some analysts fear extra complications because Puerto Ricans have a traditionally delicate legal and political relationship with the United States, especially as it regards their nationality.
Puerto Rico
The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, officially classified as a commonwealth, and has been under U.S. sovereignty since 1898. Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917 (with some legal and constitutional limitations) and, although Puerto Rico presently has a considerable amount of local autonomy, ultimate authority over the island is retained by both the U.S. Congress and the American President. The United Nations has been forced to intervene in the past in order to evaluate the legitimacy of Puerto Rico's political status, and to ensure that the island's governmental structure complies with basic standards of self-government.
Political Action
According to an official government press release the island´s governor, Anibal Acevedo Vila, sent a letter to the U.S. State Department in early December asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to intervene on behalf of the suspects. He stated in the letter that he was concerned that the detainees would not: “receive fair treatment as American citizens in accordance with the law”. Several U.S. Congressmen, including Rep. Jose Serrano of New York, have also called for U.S. diplomatic intervention on behalf of these gentlemen.
The Associated Press recently reported that a U.S. State Department spokesman confirmed that they were aware of the situation but refused to comment on any diplomatic action being taken by the American government. The absence of further commentary by this State Department spokesman may indicate a lack of political will to intervene on behalf of these U.S. citizens. Advocates in Puerto Rico have been desperately calling for further diplomatic action by both the Puerto Rican and American governments.
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