On July 25, 1952, Puerto Rico became the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, another name for US territory under supreme control of Congress. 56 years later, as incredibly as it may sound, this outdated and ineffective political status is still celebrated as something that works. Although many studies have said it does not work, on the island there are still politicians who seek to gain even more benefits from this status and call for an unconstitutional (emphasis on this last word, especially if you are a PPD supporter: unconstitutional: not consistent with or according to a constitution; contrary to the U.S. Constitution, wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn it means, as in it will not, and cannot be done, specifically, to enhance the commonwealth) enhancement of the current status. One of the greatest supporters of this idea, or perhaps its main architect is Puerto Rico’s pseudo governor Anibal Acevedo. Besides being told on numerous times the current commonwealth cannot be enhanced as he proposes, he still fools himself and others onto believing that if you think you are right, and you make believe you are right, things will happen as you want. In other words, based on excerpts from his dreadful speech at the celebration of this status, I deducted that he wants Puerto Rico to be basically an Associated Republic, but maintaining federal economic aid, and the US Citizenship. You may ask, what is wrong with this? Simple, The US Government has clearly stated, there are only 3 status options: statehood, complete independence or free association, as in an associated republic, but with the condition that those born after the declaration of the republic, will not have the US citizenship. So, what these guys propose will not happen, it cannot be done. Apparently they have problems understanding this, or simply do not want to believe it (based on the previous explanation of make believe). In truth, I am sure this guy is simply using the status issue as a political vehicle, aimed at getting him cross-party votes from those who support independence, as he did in 2004, but I believe it will not work. Not only do I believe people have realized that he blatantly forgets and/or ignores his campaing promises, but know that he is a political strategist. In other words, I believe the people are wise enough to recognize they are being fooled by this experienced manipulator, and will not make the mistake of voting for him. Of course there will always be people who vote for him, but I am sure not enough to hand him victory in november.
The current status is nothing more than a farsa, designed by past political leaders who tolds the US that we were happy being a colony, and told the people of Puerto Rico and the international community we had self-government enough to no longer be considered a colony. This explains the different official names of Puerto Rico in English in Spanish (no it is not for aesthetic reasons). This also explain why in Spanish, and only in the island of course, Puerto Rico is referred to as a país, the Spanish word for country, which obviusly we are not. These are little things that show how different the views of the status are from the outside and the inside, which in my opinion, it is not a coincidence that they vary so greatly. The leaders of 1952 knew what they were doing, and above all, knew the Commonwealth (or Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico in Spanish in case you did not know, see the differences know?, roughly tranlasted it is: Free Associated State of Puerto Rico) was a temporary status. Their intentions? Perhaps and most probably was to allow Puerto Rico to become independent one day, but I guess destiny has other plans, as day to day, more and more Puerto Ricans favor and acknowledge statehood as the true unique solution to the Puerto Rico status issue. It is now in the people’s hands, to choose leaders that very clearly are aiming to fool, or to choose those who will deliver the solutios needed, including the solution of the status issue, which I believe and hope will be statehood.
