Homage to the Spanish Republic in San Juan

In the early days of the military uprising, supporters of the the legitimate government of the Spanish Republic in Puerto Rico formed the Asociación Pro Frente Popular Español (Association for the Spanish Popular Front), headquartered in Old San Juan, under the leadership of Spanish consul Jacinto Ventosa. The association included journalists, intellectuals, university students, labor leaders, and nationalist, socialist, and communist activists. It organized rallies, cultural events, lectures, and publications in its magazines Verdades and Alerta, denouncing the rebel military forces and the Italian-German-Portuguese military intervention in Spain.

The magazine Verdades, founded in November 1936, was the main organ of the Association until July 1937. It published interviews, articles, reports, and essays by internationally renowned writers, artists, and intellectuals. In March 1937, it featured a statement by a group of professors from the University of Puerto Rico expressing solidarity with the cause of the Spanish Republic. It also published a letter from Chilean writers and artists, as well as a statement from a hundred U.S. writers—both condemning the actions of the rebel military forces.

From October 1937 until mid-1938, the Association published the weekly magazine Alerta. IT featured writing and manifestos by internationally renowned artists and intellectuals such as Cubans Juan Marinello and Nicolás Guillén, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Spaniards Rafael Alberti, Miguel Hernández, Antonio Machado, and Pablo Casals, as well as Puerto Rican writers Carmen Alicia Cadilla and Julia de Burgos.

In July 1938, the magazine covered the Tribute to the Spanish Republic held at the Tapia Theater in San Juan on July 19. Among the attendees were the leaders of the Association, members of the Spanish consular corps, labour leaders, representatives from the University of Puerto Rico, and poets Julia de Burgos and Luis Palés Matos. The theater was decorated with Republican flags, as well as those of the United States, France, and Mexico—but not that of Puerto Rico, which was banned by the colonial government. Messages sent by President Manuel Azaña and Prime Minister Juan Negrín were read aloud. There was a minute of silence in honor of Puerto Ricans Carmelo Delgado Delgado, executed by firing squad in Valladolid, and Pablo Carbonell Cuevas, killed in combat. Three Puerto Ricans in Spain—Rubén Gotay Montalvo, Emilio Delgado, and Antonio Pacheco Padró—were also recognized.

The radio program Hora de la República was broadcast weekly until the aggressiveness of General Franco’s supporters led to its suspension. The hostility toward sympathizers of the Republic, supported by the military-colonial governor Blanton Winship, emboldened some Falangists to physically assault Consul Jacinto Ventosa on several occasions. Although he filed complaints for assault, the colonial police did not press charges against the attackers.

JAOC