Griselio Torresola

Griselio Torresola
Torresola participated in an attempt to assassinate U.S. President Harry S. Truman.
Born	1925 Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Died	November 1, 1950 Washington, D.C.
Political party	Puerto Rican Nationalist Party
Movement	Puerto Rican Independence

External audio

Newsreel scenes in English of the assassination attempt on U.S. President Harry S Truman on YouTube

Griselio Torresola (1925 – November 1, 1950) born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, was one of two Puerto Rican nationalists from New York City who attempted to assassinate United States President Harry Truman on November 1, 1950. Torresola mortally wounded White House policeman Private Leslie Coffelt and wounded two other law enforcement officers. Torresola was killed by a return shot from Coffelt.

Torresola was born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico. His family believed in the Puerto Rican independence cause. They had participated in many of the island's past revolts. At the age of 23 Torresola moved to New York City in August 1948 to gain work. He was employed by a New York stationery and perfume store. Affected by a divorce from his first wife, he lost his job. A member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, Torresola joined the New York City chapter of the party, where he met fellow Nationalist Oscar Collazo.

He remarried and lived with his new wife and two children on a welfare check of $125 a month.

Nationalists had been angered by what they viewed as great injustices during previous decades, including the Ponce Massacre (1937), the extrajudicial murders of some members, and the jailing of Pedro Albizu Campos, president of the Nationalist Party, for his advocacy of violent resistance. They felt the impending changes of Puerto Rico's status from a non-autonomous territory to a partially self-governing commonwealth were a continuation of United States imperialism. They viewed Puerto Rico as a colony demanding independence from the United States.

On October 30, 1950, Torresola's brother and sister participated in the Jayuya Uprising, part of insurgent efforts across Puerto Rico by Nationalists. They attacked police headquarters and other facilities. The island government declared martial law and attacked the town with U.S. P-47 Thunderbolt strike fighter planes, land-based artillery, mortar fire, grenades, and the Puerto Rican National Guard. The planes machine-gunned nearly every rooftop in the town. The Nationalists held the town for two days; after they were overcome, the government made mass arrests. In New York City, Torresola was angered by the situation. He later learned that an extensive part of his hometown was destroyed, but the scale of military response was not reported outside of Puerto Rico. The American media reported President Truman as saying it was an "incident between Puerto Ricans." Torresola learned that his sister was wounded and his brother arrested in the uprising.