The General Board of Global Ministries has just received news from Puerto Rico that Rev. Lucy I. Rosario-Medina was found guilty by Judge Aida Delgado and sentenced this morning to 5 days in jail, one year probation and 150 hours of community work. Rev. Rosario was charged with illegally entering the limits of Camp Garcia Naval Installation at Vieques, Puerto Rico, on August 3, 2001, without proper permission or authority. Rev. Rosario already served 5 days when arrested therefore she was not sent to jail after the trial.

Evengelical Obediance Christian Camp (Campo cristiano de obediencia evangelica), Vieques, Puerto Rico

Relatives of Rev. Rosario, friends and supporters were present in the Court Room. Among the clergy present were Bishop Juan A. Vera, Rev. Hector Soto-Velez, Rev. Jorge Sánchez and Rev. Germán Acevedo-Delgado, GBGM staff.

The following are excerpts of the statement of Rev. Rosario at her trial:

"I can not refrain from denouncing, in the same way that the prophets of ancient time, how unjust it is that the nation that takes pride on defending human rights in other parts has its military core trample every day our right to a healthy life, without violence, without damaging our land, not allowing us to enjoy a complete well-being. It is necessary to see how the eastern part of Vieques has been damaged by the toxic waste produced by the military practices. In the sight of God, it is painful that land which is a gift from God be damaged without scruples. This is something immoral."

"Peace and fraternity can not be obtained by throwing bombs and toxic waste to harm and make people ill. There will be peace in Vieques when there is justice and the dignity of all of us that live there be respected. To undermine the health of the Vieques community is to slowly root out life; this is sin and injustice."

Rev. Lucy I. Rosario-Medina is the pastor of the Samuel Culpeper Methodist Church, in the town of Isabel II in Vieques, since July 1999. This is the second pastoral appointment for Rev. Rosario, before she served the El Redentor Methodist Church in Dominguito, Arecibo from 1991 to 1999. She has a Master in Divinities from the Puerto Rico Evangelical Seminary (1995) and a BA in Business Administration with a major in Human Resources (1980). She worked for the government of Puerto Rico before she was a pastor.

Rev. Rosario is very active in the life of the Vieques community. She is member of the Vieques Women Alliance and member of Viequenses for Peace, both are community organizations seeking among other things the immediate withdrawal of the US navy from Vieques and a community renewal in Vieques. Rev. Rosario had multiple responsibilities related to the Evangelical Obedience camp that the Puerto Rico Evangelical Council established within the U.S. Navy restricted area. All the camps doing civil disobedience within Navy base were removed by the FBI and Federal Marshals on May 4, 2000. On this day Rev. Rosario was detained with many other persons.