Pablo Hernandez Rivera, the newly elected Resident Commissioner for Puerto Rico, suggests that “we should put statehood aside” in an opinion piece in The Hill. He wants to work on equality without statehood, and then “Once we are back on the right track, we can talk about status.”
As George Laws Garcia pointed out in the video shared above, Puerto Rico has its third statehood supporting governor in a row. The Senate and the House of Puerto Rico both will be led by Republican and statehood supporting individuals. This is even more evidence that Puerto Rico is not a Democratic stronghold.
As for the U.S. Congress, support for the current territorial status — or the fantasy of “enhanced commonwealth” — is on the wane. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who has historically supported the “commonwealth” party, endorsed the Independence Party candidate and explained that should couldn’t support the current status because it is colonial.
Split ticket
The current Governor of Puerto Rico is a statehood supporter, and so is the incoming new governor. The current Resident Commissioner is a statehood supporter, but the incoming commissioner supports “enhanced commonwealth” — in real life, the current territorial status. The current governor is a Democrat, while the new governor and current Resident Commissioner is a Republican. The new pairing will also be a split vote as far as the national parties are concerned. The new Resident Commissioner plans to caucus with the Democrats.
But the other big issue on the ballot was the status question. More people voted for statehood than any of the candidates; statehood was the big winner.
Laws Garcia points out that Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon has eight years of experience and relationships in D.C. and is a Republican in a Republican administration. She may have more influence in the upcoming Congress than Hernandez Rivera.
Ongoing bipartisan report
The conversation in the video also discusses the different opportunities and challenges in the upcoming Congress. Martin Rivera reminds us that the Senate had planned to hold a hearing on the Puerto Rico Status Act this year. More cosponsors joined the Puerto Rico Status Act this month, showing that the Island’s determination to become a state is reaching the Congress.
Laws Garcia also suggests that there is an opportunity, when the Puerto Rico Status Act is reintroduced — or perhaps a new status bill — to be more honest with voters. In the current Puerto Rico Status Act, it is suggested that free association could maintain U.S. citizenship. Some voters seem to be confused about the nature of sovereign free association, not recognizing that it is in fact a form of independence. Perhaps a new bill could be more clear, offering an honest choice between statehood and independence with recognition that citizenship is only guaranteed with statehood.
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