The Case for the Independence of Puerto Rico

Abstract

Puerto Rico is a colony of the United States—and has been ever since the U.S. government militarily invaded the island in 1898. While the U.S. government has designated Puerto Rico as a “freely associated state,” and while it is true that the Puerto Rican people elect their own governor and legislators, all aspects of Puerto Rican life are dictated and regulated by the laws and agencies of the U.S. government. For example, Puerto Rico is not represented in Congress, yet all laws passed by Congress apply to Puerto Rico and supercede any conflicting Puerto Rican laws. U.S. courts can overrule any decision of Puerto Rican courts. And Puerto Rico is not permitted to trade freely with countries other than the United States.This control particularly enriches the many U.S. corporations operating in Puerto Rico. According to a recent issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, U.S. corporations took $1.67 billion in profits last year from investments in Puerto Rico. This small island provided 10% of all the overseas profi...