Is The U.S. Failing Puerto Rico? Unpacking Decades of Exploitation and Neglect

As I have mentioned before, I am relatively new to the real history of Puerto Rico. Up until recently all I knew about my homeland was this:

Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón;
exclamó lleno de admiración:
¡Oh! ¡Oh! ¡Oh!

Those few lines from La Borinqueña which we sang at the auditorium in school was the extent of my knowledge. That and that the original people there were called Tainos.

However, I have done some researching and studying, thus acquiring some basic knowledge of our historical relationship with the United States. From this very basic, super low level knowledge that I have acquired, it is clear that the United States has not always treated Puerto Rico fairly.

It feels like the country has been taken advantage of repeatedly, with little regard for the welfare of Puerto Rico and its people.

It breaks my heart that the U.S., the country I fought for, the country I call home, and the country that I still defend to this day from her detractors, would treat my homeland in such a way.

I don’t know much about the economics of the island, but I am willing to bet that if I look deeper into the reasons Puerto Rico is in financial trouble, I would find that some U.S. corporations, certain politicians, and broader economic interests have contributed to her challenges.

This is an opinion coming from a person who doesn’t know all that much about the topic. All one requires is some common sense, some eyes and ears, and just a little bit of research to arrive at this conclusion. I may not know all that much, but I’m sure if the U.S. had taken better care of Borinquen, exploited her resources and people less, and simply been fair to her, then maybe she wouldn’t be in this financial crisis.

Then again, look at how some politicians handle the mainland’s financial situation. If they struggle with that, why would they prioritize a smaller territory? It seems many are focused on their own interests rather than the wellbeing of the country or the people of the land.

You know what this feels like? Like someone who gets what they want, uses it, and then leaves it behind when it’s no longer convenient. That is how I feel the relationship with the U.S. has been for Puerto Rico. There are places where labor is cheaper than in Puerto Rico these days, and with new opportunities opening in places like Cuba, it feels like Puerto Rico’s economic role is diminishing.

It is frustrating to see, and I am very disappointed with all of the politicians who are turning their backs on Puerto Rico. This has been happening since that first day when the bombs began to hit her and we kicked out the Spaniards, and it has continued since. Of course I’m not surprised, but you’d think that things would have changed by now. NOT!

Que desmadre!