User:Marmacpower1/Doris Torresola

Doris Torresola Roura (January 28 or March 1, 1922 - February 10, 1972) was a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. Shot and arrested during the Nationalist Party's 1950 uprising, she was convicted on charges of sentenced to 7 to 10 years, of which she served three years. She was rearrested on March 6, 1954, after a New York City based unit of the Nationalist Party attacked the U.S. Congress. Sentenced to 17 years, she suffered a mental breakdown in prison and was released to a psychiatric hospital and then granted an unconditional pardon on September 8, 1961. Born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, Torresola was one of four siblings, all of whom supported independence for Puerto Rico and were members of the Nationalist Party. Her brother, Griselio Torresola, joined Oscar Collazo in the November 1, 1950 attempt to assassinate President Truman. Her brother Elio was one of the leaders of the 1950 uprising in Jayuya and her sister Angelina was a member of the Enfermeras de la Républica, a Nationalist Party women's group and a lifelong activist in the struggle for national sovereignty for Puerto Rico.

Background

Doris Torresola Roura was born in the semi-rural barrio of Coabey in Jayuya, a town of about 12,500 people in the 1920s and 16,500 in 2010. Jayuya became an indepependent town in 1911, when it separated from the municipality of Utuado. Rosario Canales, who owned land in Coabey, was the town's first mayor. Canales was the father of Nemesio Canales, a prominent journalist and member of the Partido Unión (Union Party) and Blanca Canales, an important member of the Nationalist Party who worked closely with the Torresola family. Her parents owned a farm in Coabey, which is where she grew up.