Nationhood: A Better Future for Puerto Rico

Regarding Jenniffer Gonzalez’s letter “Of Course Puerto Rico Deserves to Be a State” (Oct. 28): Unlike politics in the U.S., Puerto Rican politics are not based on the usual left/right spectrum, but on the centuries-old status issue. Pro-sovereignty groups were persecuted and exiled by the colonial government as well, ingraining a colonial mentality in many Puerto Ricans. Today, Puerto Rican politics is still based on the status issue and rooted in these colonial fears.

In 2020, not only did the Democrats erase statehood from their platform and Republican leaders say no to statehood, but the U.S. Justice Department invalidated the Nov. 3 “statehood yes or no” referendum and stated that even if statehood were to win, it would not lead to statehood. Statehood is not economically viable, as detailed in the 2014 U.S. Government Accountability Office report, but Puerto Ricans and Americans have an opportunity to forge the path to sovereignty and free association.

Free association would offer Puerto Rico a dignified relationship with the U.S., where Puerto Rico would be a U.S. ally and economic strategic partner. Currently, free association is the option with the largest growth of support in Puerto Rico. Together, both sovereignty options garnered almost 39% of the vote in the 2012 plebiscite.

This referendum will show Americans that statehood is not supported by an absolute majority of Puerto Ricans. After 500 years of colonialism, Puerto Ricans deserve freedom and nationhood, not statehood.

Javier A. Hernández