Martin Rivera and Alberto Medina had a conversation on Global Perspectives, discussing which would be the best solution for Puerto Rico’s unfair position in the United States. Rivera and Medina were in agreement that the current territorial status is unjust to Puerto Rico and that it keeps Puerto Rico from reaching its full potential. They disagree on the best solution to these inequities.
Statehood or independence?
Rivera pointed out that there are only two solutions for Puerto Rico: statehood or independence. For many years, there have been false claims that some other option is possible, but the U.S. Constitution recognizes just two relationships under U.S. sovereignty: statehood or territory status. While some free association supporters speak as though free association were some new version of the old myth of the commonwealth, it is actually a treaty between the United States and an independent nation, as in the cases of Palau and the Marshall Islands.
Since the option of continuing as a territory has been firmly rejected by the people of Puerto Rico, the only question is this: should Puerto Rico become a state or give up the permanent relationship with the United States and become an independent nation?
Alberto C. Medina is the president of Boricuas Unidos en la Diaspora, pro-independence organization based in the states. He began the discussion with an overview of his arguments favoring independence: Puerto Rico is a nation, assimilation would be necessary for a state, and we’ve been waiting too long for statehood.
Martin Rivera, Director of Advocacy for the Puerto Rico Statehood Council, also summarized his arguments for statehood: Puerto Rico voters have chosen statehood in four plebiscites, it will provide equal rights for the people of Puerto Rico, and for its enormous contributions to the United States, Puerto Rico deserves statehood.
The moderator then asked what pushback the positions — statehood and independence — receive.
Impediments to statehood
“Most people are not thinking about Puerto Rico,” said Medina. “This is partly the result of the colonial relationship.”
Medina also suggested that the U.S. thinks of the territorial relationship as a “favor” being done for Puerto Rico. This distracts from the inequities in Puerto Rico and can cause discussions focusing on the additional costs statehood would have for the federal government.
Rivera agreed that Puerto Rico doesn’t get enough attention in Congress, and also agreed with Medina that Republican members of Congress claim that Puerto Rico would certainly be a blue state. In fact, it would be a swing state. Besides, he said, “It’s time to see this not through a partisan lens but through a civil rights lens, given all the contributions that our people have done.”
Another obstacle to statehood, Rivera said, is that Americans don’t appreciate the contributions of Puerto Rico. “Not only the armed services and the arts,” he said, “but also to the U.S. treasury…We actually pay more in federal taxes than, I believe, eight states.”
Arguments against independence
Medina took issue with Rivera’s point about Puerto Rico deserving statehood. Mexican Americans have made great contributions to the United States, as have Chinese Americans and Filipinos, but “there’s no movement to make Mexico the 51st state.”
Medina did not consider that Puerto Rico is a territory belonging to the United States, unlike Mexico or China, which — as independent nations — are not eligible for statehood. The Philippines used to be a U.S. territory. Since the people of the Philippines made it clear that they wanted independence, the United States granted that independence in 1946, and statehood was never on the table.
Medina acknowledged that statehood is most popular among Puerto Ricans and independence is a minority position, but also says that “It used to be the case that independence used to be a sort of hyper-minority position in Puerto Rico, it’s no longer the case.” Nearly 60% of voters chose statehood in the last plebiscite, he point out, but that means that more than 40% chose either independence or free association. Rivera agreed that both statehood and independence are increasing their popularity, since the willingness to remain a territory has fallen and continues to fall.
He also brought up the concerns many people have that independence would be “an economic disaster for Puerto Rico.” Medina says that Puerto Rico’s poverty under U.S. rule could be completely different than its economic position under independence.
Now what?
“We need to start having these conversations to continue the momentum that we’ve had the last two sessions of Congress,” said Rivera. he pointed out that Puerto Rico’s lack of participation in American Democracy means that people living in the states must step up to bring Puerto Rico’s status to the attention of their legislators. Puerto Rico’s single legislator cannot even vote on the admission of the Island to the Union.
Medina called on all Americans to assume responsibility for this political issue.
Do your part. Contact your legislator now.
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