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Posts Tagged ‘Puerto Rico Status’

Puerto Rico’s Status Debated (again) in Washington

1:11 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · history|Politics|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

27 Apr 2007

Yet again the issue of Puerto Rico‘s status was debated on Wednesday on the floor of Congress with little progress in any direction. Three positions are being argued for. One being to maintain the current Associated Free State status with Ricans on the island granted U.S. citizenship but without being able to vote for members of Congress or the president. They pay no federal income tax but pay about a third of their income to island tax collectors. The second option is to make P.R. the 51st U.S. state. The third option would leave the island an independent country. The reality of the situation is that all the debate of the world doesn’t change the fact that the U.S. Constitution only allows for two options: statehood or separation. So while many tout that fact that the people of Puerto Rico have voted in four plebiscites on their status since 1967, none were authorized or recognized by Congress, which the Constitution charges with overseeing territories.

After so many years of debate and with nothing changing, when will Ricans realize that the the U.S. has no interest in changing the status of the colony?

Via / The LA Times

Latin America Calls Out Puerto Rican Colonial Situation

11:00 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Puerto Rico · Comments Off

20 Nov 2006

Yesterday the Latin American and Caribbean Congress for Puerto Rico´s Independence closed in Panama, with the participation of more than 200 delegates from 22 countries.

“Puerto Rico is the only Latin American region remaining under colonial regimen. For Latin Americans, helping to correct that anomaly should be a matter of principles, a continental priority,” stated Panamanian President Martin Torrijos.

Puerto Rico, legally is known as a “Free Associated State” of the United States (which I would argue translates colony) and has been occupied by the United States since 1898.

So Puerto Ricans, on the island and in the diaspora know that many Latin American nations understand the true nature of the situation. Too bad the U.S. and its government hasn’t accepted it.

Via / La Prensa Latina

NYT Looks at Puerto Rico

10:49 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Newspapers|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

24 Oct 2006

An editorial in yesterday’s New York Times looks at the dire situation the colony/nation of Puerto Rico finds itself in and why. The article points to a study — “The Economy of Puerto Rico: Restoring Growth” — from the Center for the New Economy, a nonpartisan Puerto Rican research group, and the Brookings Institution. The study doesn’t point the finger for the island’s problem on the people of Puerto Rico but rather at the U.S. government and its’ policies.

Much of the blame can be put on Washington, which has been tone deaf to the island’s needs and has miscalculated where help was needed. Even a good idea, like the Section 936 program of tax incentives, was mismanaged. Before it was phased out last year, it had succeeded in bringing many pharmaceutical concerns to the island, but produced relatively few jobs and at so high a cost that a $40,000 position cost the government $70,000.

FBI Keeps the Heat on Rican Independentistas

9:00 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Puerto Rico · 1 Comment

20 Sep 2006

With the 1 year anniversary of the murder of island independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios approaching on Saturday, the same federal agency responsible for his death is keeping the pressure on activists. Earlier this week the FBI decided to pay a visit to the homes of indpendence activists Liliana Laboy and the house of Norberto Cintron Fiallo in the San Juan area.

FBI spokesman Harry Rodríguez said the agents went to the homes as part of an ongoing investigation into the Macheteros, also known as the Puerto Rican People’s Army. He declined to provide details or say whether agents planned to arrest the activists or search their homes.

More than likely the feds want to get a head start and make people feel afraid so that they don’t hit the streets in memory of Filiberto. Rallies are planned for Saturday throughout Puerto Rico and here in the United States.

Via / Miami Herald

Ricans for Independence Celebrating the 4th in their Own Way

12:00 pm By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · Comments Off

3 Jul 2006

The Puerto Rican Independence Party, or PIP is planning to celebrate the 4th of July with a campaign to confront myths and fears concerning a free Puerto Rico by handing out a pamphlet on various beaches throughout la isla del encanto. Juan Dalmau, General Secretary of the party said:…

mientras otros celebren mañana la independencia de otro país -en referencia a que el Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) conmemora la de Estados Unidos- ellos “harán campaña” por la independencia de Puerto Rico.

The 44 page pamphlet titled Lo que debes saber sobre la independencia was written by PIP Economic Secretary Edwin Irizarry Mora, Constitutional Rights professor of the Universidad Interamericana Carlos Gorrín and lawyer and economist Carlos Fronteras. Now that’s what I call good beach reading.

Via / Primera Hora

Supreme Court Tells Ricans “No Vote For You”.

8:00 am By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · 4 Comments

22 Mar 2006

On Monday the Supreme Court rejected an appeal that asked for Puerto Ricans to have the right to vote for president. According to Attorney Gregorio Igartua, who filed the appeal:

For 107 years and 22 presidential elections since Puerto Rico became part of the United States, the American citizens of Puerto Rico have an inferior type of American citizenship.

Puerto Ricans, who are born as citizens of the U.S., cannot vote in presidential elections and their congressional representative cannot vote. The only way Puerto Ricans could get the vote would be if Puerto Rico became a state. The only body who legally can make that happen is the U.S. Congress who has yet to make any move to do so.

Via / DiversityInc.

Puerto Rico: Would a New Kind of Vote Make a Difference?

8:00 am By Maegan La Mala · Puerto Rico · 2 Comments

10 Mar 2006

Puerto Rico is heating up VL’s comments section. What do people think about Congressperson Jose Serrano and Puerto Rico’s (non-voting) Congressional rep Luis Fortuno’s proposal of a new way for Ricans to vote on the future of their island? They are calling for not one but two votes.

The first vote, to happen next year, would have only two choices : for la isla del encanto to remain a U.S. territory or something else. If people vote to keep P.R. a territory, regular votes would have to happen to see if opinions change. If the something else option wins then another vote, to go down in 2009, would place statehood against independence.

Politicians and the Community Wanna Know What’s Going Down in PR

7:00 pm By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Events|Justice|New York City|Puerto Rico · Comments Off

20 Feb 2006

p1210443.jpgmid.jpg Congressional Representatives Charles Rangel, José Serrano, Nydia Velázquez from New York, Luis Gutierrez from Chicago, Governor of Puerto Rico Anibal Acevedo Vilá and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño have called for hearings and an independent investigation in response to the FBI’s military-style assault and seizures in the homes and places of work of citizens who favor independence of Puerto Rico, as well as the pepper-spraying of members of the Puerto Rican press who sought to cover the events that happened nearly two weeks ago. In a press release issued today Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito declared:

We are 8 million U.S. citizens living throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, whose sons and daughters have served this country with distinction in all its wars since 1917. We have a right to know on what grounds the FBI determined to bring the War on Terrorism to the homes and places of work of Puerto Ricans who favor the Island’s independence?

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