Retomar los caminos ancestrales nos llevará a la restauración y balance de nuestra primera madre, La Madre Tierra
~ Po Araní, un Portador del Conocimiento de la Medicina Tradicional de Borikén
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Environmental activist and cultural advocate Alegna Malavé Marrero has a strong connection to this land. Listening to her as she shares stories about how her father used to carry her [on his shoulders via backpack] on hiking treks to El Yunque Rainforest, the love in her voice is palpable.
Though she borrowed the aforementioned story from her mother (she was too young to remember), her earliest childhood memories involve cherished moments in nature.
I have always felt happiest outdoors — in the forest, by the river, and at the beach. Whenever we arrived at the beach, I was the first one to get out of the car, take off my clothes and run to the water. Even when the waves were high, I was right there and whenever my parents said it was time to go, I resisted, wanting to stay longer. I was always sad when we had to leave the beach.
All of this encouraged my mother to enroll me in swimming lessons at a young age. Growing up on an island was the ideal environment for my happiness. Being surrounded by water is where I have felt most at home. That’s why honoring and protecting our natural resources are so important in my work.
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We met in Loíza in mid-2022 during one of her visits to the home/working studio of renowned painter & sculptor, Samuel Lind. Alegna and I spoke briefly — still, it was clear she was someone special.
So when a few months later, she told me about a protest against an illegal construction above the cave, Cueva Las Golondrinas in Aguadilla (on the west coast of Borikén), I knew I had to be a part of it. Due to the logistics of picking up another activist, traffic, and heading to the wrong area, by the time we arrived, the manifestation had ended.
As it turns out, the Universe had other plans for us that day. Ours was meant to be only a few hours of solidarity with the remaining activists — no one could have anticipated what happened during the protest. Watch the video here (warning: graphic content).
Bringing further awareness to the Aguadilla incident, as well as to other instances of illegal constructions along our coastlines, and putting our Indigenous heritage sites at risk, I obtained an exclusive interview to shed light on what is happening on our archipelago.
The following is part of our meeting.
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The Intro
Last April, Alegna Malavé Marrero joined fellow community activists in removing the fencing and vegetative debris that block public access to the Cueva del Indio Nature and Marine Reserve in the northern town of Arecibo in Puerto Rico.
A veteran of environmental protest, she came prepared with Puerto Rico’s Council for Protection of Archaeological Lands regulatory policy Laws 111 and 112, which dictate the protection and preservation of terrestrial archaeological sites, including caves and caverns intrinsic to the conservation of Puerto Rico’s natural and cultural heritage.
For the past seven years, both entrances to the reserve have remained illegally obstructed by business magnate José González Freyre, owner of Pan American Grain. González Freyre, who purchased land adjacent to the Nature Reserve, placed fencing and debris around the caves, effectively closing off access to the site.
Home to a delicate ecosystem of flora, fauna, rock formations and marine species, like hermit crabs and the endangered green sea turtle, the reserve is also an archaeological site featuring hundreds of ancient rock art carvings from Puerto Rico’s first inhabitants.
Involved in organizing since 2005, Malavé Marrero has long advocated for protecting and preserving her country’s natural resources, delicate ecosystems, and Indigenous heritage. From protesting illegal constructions to testifying at legislative hearings to educating communities, her mission is clear: to stop rampant development that is destroying Puerto Rico’s marine and nature reserves.
As a spokesperson for Defending la Cueva del Indio (DCI-681), an educational, community-based organization promoting the preservation of the Indigenous cave located along the region’s coastal route PR-681, Malavé Marrero is determined to safeguard its cultural significance. On April 9 activists managed to remove part of the fencing, but community access to the caves remains closed.
Formally trained as a socio-spatial planner — focusing on land use based on ample citizen participation and sociological knowledge applied within an urban context — Malavé Marrero uses her knowledge of Puerto Rican regulatory policy to educate communities about illegal land use and the threats posed to agricultural and natural resources. She does so against the backdrop of current Governor Pedro Pierluisi’s pro-statehood administration — one that prioritizes the interests of private investors. In this interview, Malavé Marrero shares insights on the current political climate she describes as “a threat not only to those of us living in Borikén [Puerto Rico’s Indigenous name] but also to all of the natural species of marine life that call this their home.”
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In Her Words
Lola Rosario: When many hear the word “coastline” they think of beaches, but in Puerto Rico, it’s more than that. Share with us what other coastal areas are being negatively impacted.
Alegna Malavé Marrero: In the town of Salinas, in southern Puerto Rico, the National Estuarine Research Reserve Bahía de Jobos is among 30 reserves managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]. It is an area made up of mangroves and beaches. Despite the on-site presence of guards from the DRNA, there have been documented witnessings of mangrove burnings and illegal construction of docks. Community members have been organizing since the 1980s, trying to protect the area known as Paso del Indio y Cueva León due to its ancestral significance. A place inhabited since the times of our Indigenous Taíno forebears, residents there are resisting displacement and fighting to protect their natural area.
It’s important to understand the mangroves’ critical role in forming the Estuarine Reserve’s barrier between the open sea and dry land, especially during times of flooding. Deforestation and burning of mangroves are also destroying bird nests and marine life. All of this is happening in the federal government’s presence. It must not go unnoticed; there have to be consequences.
LR: How does the government’s pro-privatization stance factor into the equation of further endangering marine life and the archipelago’s Indigenous heritage?
AMM: Pedro Pierluisi’s administration insists on using Joint Regulation (JR) 2020, legislation pertaining to the Evaluation and Issuance of Permits Related to Development, Land Use, and Business Operations [this legislation was nullified by Puerto Rico Supreme Court in March 2023]. JR 2020 would reconfigure land use, but by renaming it an “Emergency Joint Regulation” Pierluisi’s government is ignoring the court ruling and instead using it as a tool to facilitate the deregulation of territorial plans, allowing illegal constructions in natural, agricultural, and historical reserves. As a community organizer for the Asamblea de Pueblo (People’s Assembly), I was tasked with educating communities about the dangers of JR 2020 and the importance of active citizen participation in public hearings and submitting comments to protect livability in the communities from commercial encroachment and displacement.
When we see what’s happening in the neighborhood of Islote in the northern coastal town of Arecibo with the Cueva del Indio Nature and Marine Reserve, this administration’s position is clear — privatization and dollar signs trump any environmental concerns. In 2016, José González Freyre closed off access to the archaeological site. When activists attempt to access the area, Carlos Mena, administrator of González Freyre’s property, rebukes them by brandishing a firearm and charging between $10 and $35 for vehicle parking. Their privatization of the area was nothing more than usurpation and exploitation.
LR: Thinking about land use and development, the slogan “The Beaches are Public Domain” comes to mind. Can you take us behind the scenes for a closer perspective on its meaning?
AMM: Our work is about much more than chants and rallying cries. Las Playas Son del Pueblo carries with it a reminder to the government and private interests that our beaches and natural resources are not for sale. Consider the situation in Cueva Las Golondrinas, a marine cave located in the northwestern coastal town of Aguadilla. Between 2019 and 2020, businessman Carlos Román González illegally obtained permits through his construction company, Aguadilla Pier Corp (APC), to begin building permanent structures on top of the cave. Over the past few years, there have been countless protests demanding that the DRNA order the demolition of the property (which includes a gazebo and an equestrian facility).
During a manifestation this past January, things got very intense. As unarmed activists approached the heavily guarded complex, taking videos and shouting, César Toledo Montilla, a member of Román González’s private security detail, fired at the crowd of protestors. One of his bullets landed embedded in the lower leg of environmental advocate Ángel Luis Torres Rosado, who was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital. Torres Rosado eventually healed from his physical injury; however, everyone understands the severity of what happened. That bullet could have easily ended someone’s life. In this environmental struggle, the stakes are high. We’re up against corruption and folks with deep pockets — it has been reported that Román González has made hefty monetary contributions to both of Puerto Rico’s main political parties, the PNP [New Progressive Party] and the PPD [Popular Democratic Party]. Our commitment to the statement “the beaches are public domain” is non-negotiable.
LR: As a sociologist, what role does your academic background play in advocating for the coastlines vis-à-vis your interaction with police and local authorities?
AMM: I, and others, are in this struggle because we are fighting for this country we love so much. Being passionate about our heritage, natural resources, and the environment moves us to do what we do. Trained as a sociologist, I’m well attuned to the dynamics of protest. As activists/cultural advocates, our emotions are inextricably tied to this work — as I discussed earlier, potential dangers exist. That’s why when I’m present at these manifestations, I watch over the physical and emotional safety of those in my group. Further, as the daughter of a nurse, our collective well-being is one of my priorities.
When it comes to local authorities, it’s crucial to be mindful of their role. The police represent an inherent capacity of elected officials/government to control its citizens. What I denounce is the illegal use of force in their authoritative power against activists — it’s visible in how the police are equipped with protective shields, helmets, batons, teargas, handcuffs, and sometimes even guns. Clearly, they are present to maintain order. This being the case, I’m certainly not going to start arguing with them about Joint Regulation 2020 or other local ordinances. They’ll say (as a few have said to me in the past), “I don’t know about those laws, I’m just here following orders.” So, I avoid debating legalese with them; I save that for when I’m in court testifying against illegal construction.
LR: And, are you seeing changes in those instances? Is the rule of law being followed?
AMM: In Puerto Rico, the government continues to allow illegal constructions in protected nature reserve areas. Where I am seeing change is in greater awareness of public domain land use and the legalities thereto. As environmental justice seekers, we need to utilize effective strategies in our fight. We do so through the use of knowledge of [legal] policy and education.
One instance that stands out recently relates to a wall [we painted on] at the beach in Sol y Playa on the west coast of Rincón, in protest of the illegal construction of a condominium pool directly adjacent to the shoreline. I heard a police officer referencing environmental law, which makes me very optimistic. This is a step in the right direction because now we have law enforcement officials becoming engaged and informed of the laws that are being broken.
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Full article [first] published on NACLA on July 11, 2023.
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Translation of the article’s opening quote:
Returning to our ancestral paths allows us to move toward the restoration and balance of our first mother, Mother Earth
~ Po Araní, an Indigenous Traditional Medicine Keeper of Borikén
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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