Pedro Albizu Campos - Later Years and Death

Later Years and Death

The FBI files show that during his imprisonment, Albizu Campos' health deteriorated severely. In 1956, he suffered a stroke in prison and was transferred to San Juan's Presbyterian Hospital under police guard. He alleged that he was the subject of human radiation experiments in prison and stated that he could see colored rays bombarding him. When he wrapped wet towels around his head in order to shield himself from the radiation, the prison guards ridiculed him as El Rey de las Toallas (The King of the Towels).

Officials suggested that Albizu was insane - but many doctors were able to examine Albizu, and test him for signs of radiation. The President of the Cuban Cancer Association, Dr. Orlando Damuy, traveled to Puerto Rico to examine him. Dr. Damuy concluded, from his direct physical examination of Albizu, that the burns on Albizu's body were caused by intense radiation. It is said when they placed a metal paper clip with a film on Albizu's skin, the clip was radiated into the film. It is also said he did not receive any medical attention for five days and instead suffered.

On November 15, 1964, on the brink of death, Albizu was finally pardoned by Governor Muñoz Marin. He died on April 21, 1965. More than 75,000 Puerto Ricans carried the remains of his body to the Old San Juan Cemetery.

In 1994, under the administration of President Bill Clinton, the United States Department of Energy disclosed that human radiation "experiments" had in fact been conducted without consent on prisoners during the 1950s and 1970s. It has been alleged that Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos was among the subjects of such experimentation.