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Tito Kayak

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Alberto De Jesus Mercado (born 1958) —better known as Tito Kayak— is an environmental activist from Jayuya, Puerto Rico. He first gained notoriety for being one of the most outspoken activists of the Navy-Vieques protests as well as other struggles involving danger to the environment in the island. In recent years, he has also been involved in international manifestations against the U.S. Government and oppression in general.

Manifestations

Kayak has gained notoriety for several of his manifestations. Some of the most notable are:

Navy-Vieques protests - Kayak was considered one of the most active against the military presence in the island. After the 1999 death of David Sanes, when a group of Vieques natives and people from all over Puerto Rico and from some other countries began protesting, he was one of the first to trespass the military property in the island committing civil disobedience. He was arrested for it and was sentenced to jail in Guaynabo for a short time. Newspapers such as El Nuevo Dia and El Vocero point him and Ismael Guadalupe as two of the most active manifestants. He again expressed his anti-military views to Puerto Rican newspapers after the death of a young Vieques cancer patient called Milivi Adams.
Statue of Liberty - On November 5, 2000, he and five other Vieques activists stepped onto the top deck of the Statue of Liberty in New York in protest. Kayak then placed a Puerto Rican flag on the statue. For this action, he faced federal charges and was jailed in New York.
Marriott Hotel - On March 15, 2005, Kayak returned to activist action, when he chained himself to a vehicle after invading a Marriott Hotel property in a Carolina beach. Kayak and others were protesting against the building of an apartment complex on the prelude. He was arrested later. In June, the Court of First Instance of Carolina ruled that the terrain contracts of the Marriott Hotel were null, halting the construction.
United Nations - On June 13, 2005, Kayak was arrested inside the United Nations headquarters after he tried to switch the United Nations flag with the Puerto Rican one, while the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization discussed the political situation of Puerto Rico. On October 11, Kayak avoided prison but was ordered to pay a $500 fine.
Palestine - On April 20, 2007, Kayak was arrested in Bil'in, a village near the West Bank barrier, after he climbed a surveillance tower close to the separation barrier and planted a Palestinian flag in support of their country. Kayak spent about five hours in the tower, before climbing down and being arrested. He said:

“

All I did was to express my identification with the villagers against the wall which is believed to be evil and illegal by the whole world and many leaders like Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter and the United Nations

”

Fort San Gerónimo - In July 2007, Kayak participated in the protests against the construction of the project Paseo Caribe that would block public access to Fortín de San Gerónimo. Kayak was one of the manifestants that climbed into a construction crane to halt the construction project. Later, in November 6, 2007 he climbed a crane again, following his protest against the Paseo Caribe project. An order for his arrest followed a week later, while he was still around 200 feet above the ground. On November 13, Kayak rappeled down from the crane to his kayak and managed to evade two Go-fast boats, two police helicopters and a heavy number of special forces police officers including the current superintendent Pedro Toledo waiting for him in land. With the help of a body double and the people in the scene, he escaped. The day later he turn himself to the authorities with the help of a catholic priest.

Recently, alegations that Kayak is a pawn of and in the pay of foreign political groups led by Hugo Chavez have surfaced undermining his credibility.