The Story of Las Carpetas

History of Puerto Rico, Book 16

By: Alex Alicea

Narrated by: Rachel Rash

The Story of Las Carpetas plunges listeners into the hidden yet pervasive history of Puerto Rico’s surveillance era, a period where the government maintained secret "files" or "carpetas" on thousands of citizens. These files meticulously recorded personal, political, and cultural lives, leading to deep societal rifts and a legacy of fear and mistrust. Alex Alicea brings this dark chapter to life, beginning with a powerful narrative of María Rodriguez opening her file in 1987—a moment that forever altered her understanding of herself and her country. For over forty years, the surveillance program targeted individuals perceived as subversive or sympathetic to Puerto Rican independence, branding countless lives with invisible scars.

Through rigorous research and survivor interviews, Alex Alicea unveils how “Las Carpetas” wasn’t merely a collection of intelligence reports but a means of social control. The files cataloged everyday moments, like books borrowed or friends visited, and this overreach seeped into all aspects of Puerto Rican society. Teachers lost jobs, families were torn apart, and careers were derailed, as surveillance dictated the social and economic fates of Puerto Ricans for decades. Alex Alicea’s narrative stirs a compelling desire for justice and reflection.

By exposing the systematic repression and chronicling the resilience of individuals and families impacted, The Story of Las Carpetas connects past injustices to today’s ongoing battles for privacy and civil liberties. The chilling parallels to modern-day surveillance reveal lessons that resonate beyond Puerto Rico, highlighting a universal struggle against invasive state powers. Listeners will feel the weight of surveillance’s psychological toll and the collective trauma it imprinted on generations, leading them to reflect on the value of freedom and the courage required to safeguard it.

©2024 Alex Alicea (P)2025 Alex Alicea