Category Archives: politics

Immigration to Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rico’s history of immigration may make Boricuas the most ethnically diverse people of the Caribbean. Puerto Ricans know about the three main ethnic backgrounds that make-up the Puerto Rican people: the indigenous Taíno Indians, Spaniards, and Africans. However other ethnicities have and continue to contribute to the Puerto Rican culture.

By the early 19th century Spain had lost most of its possessions in the New World except for Puerto Rico and Cuba. In hopes of securing these areas, Spain announced the Royal Decree of Graces in 1815, which granted the Caribbean territories the right to have commercial ties with countries that were in good standing with Spain.

Hundreds of French (especially Corsican,) German, and Irish families soon immigrated to Puerto Rico. They were later followed by smaller waves of Dutch, Greek, Italian, Maltese, and Portuguese immigrants who adopted the language and customs of the island and were completely integrated into the society.

An increase of immigration to Puerto Rico occurred when the U.S. acquired the territory from the Spaniards after winning the Spanish-American War of 1898. Immigrants from China, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic soon became part of the Puerto Rican community.

Dominicans have lived on the island of Puerto Rico since colonial time with immigration coinciding with political upheavals. Today about 200,000 Dominicans live in Puerto Rico.

The large number of undocumented residents in Puerto Rico has become a hot political issue. The U.S. has yet to begin a serious conversation about immigration reform, however it will be interesting to see how new regulations will affect immigration in Puerto Rico. The recent devastating earthquake in Haiti is sure to affect further immigration of both Haitians and Dominicans to Puerto Rico.

In any event, U.S. and Puerto Rican officials should keep in mind that we have always been a nation of immigrants. Current U.S. citizens and political leaders should find ways to fairly welcome those seeking a better life and those who have already contributed greatly to the U.S. and Puerto Rican cultures.

For more on the history of immigration to Puerto Rico you can read the February political column at ElBoricua.com.

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Health Care Reform Must Become a Reality – Now

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With more than 45 million Americans uninsured, health care reform must become a reality. No matter what the obstacle, Americans deserve access to adequate affordable health coverage. Conservatives are trying to scare everyone into thinking the health care reform issue is dead. However, now more than ever, Americans all across the nation need to contact their elected representatives and demand health care reform now. No matter how difficult or challenging the process, health reform must pass. People with severe medical conditions should not have to worry about possibly declaring bankruptcy because of an unforeseen accident or ailment. Others should not be denied access to necessary care because of a pre-existing condition. Insurance companies should not pick and choose which Americans get health coverage and which do not. Hospitals should not be allowed to charge $50 for an aspirin. Much work and discussion has already gone into trying to resolve the health care issue and it would be stupid and irresponsible for politicians to turn back now. Americans, of all political preferences, deserve a reasonable, working, and fair health care system. If the topic is taken off the table now, Americans may never see another opportunity for positive health care reform.

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Congressman José E. Serrano

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José Enrique Serrano, a New York politician who has represented Bronx residents and Boricuas for more than 35 years, is presently the most senior Member of Congress of Puerto Rican descent. As one of only two Puerto Rican-born members of the House of Representatives, Serrano has long been known to take the lead on Puerto Rican-related issues.

Serrano has long pushed for more federal support for Puerto Rico and considers Puerto Rico to be a colony of the U.S. He has repeatedly offered bills calling for a referendum in Puerto Rico to change its political status. The last time the question was put to a vote, Puerto Ricans narrowly voted against statehood and for keeping their status as a commonwealth. “I’m against the colony and I can live with whatever replaces it, either statehood or independence,” Congressman Serrano was quoted as saying in 2006.

In 2007, Serrano introduced a bill entitled the Puerto Rico Democracy Act. The bill would provide for a referendum that would give Puerto Ricans living on the island the choice between maintaining their present political status or choosing a new status. If a new status is chosen Puerto Ricans would have the option of being admitted as a U.S. State “on equal footing with the other states,” or becoming a “sovereign nation, either fully independent from or in free association with the United States.”

For more on U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano you can read the current political column at El Boricua.

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The 2010 Census: A Push for a Full Latino Count

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A network of Latino leaders has been assembled to ensure an accurate count of all Latinos in the 2010 United States Census. Over 30 national and regional Latino organizations and hundreds of individuals in the U.S. and Puerto Rico have joined forces to create the Latino Census Network. The Network, which is a project of the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP,) aims to educate the Latino community on the importance of the Census and provide a united Latino voice on related issues and policies.

Results from the 2000 Census showed that Latinos became the largest minority in the U.S., however some say Latinos may have been underrepresented in the count. Data collected from the Census, which occurs every 10 years, is used to assign Congressional seats, electoral votes, and funding for federal and state programs.

Angelo Falcón, the president of NiLP, recently conducted a seminar about the 2010 Census at El Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños at Hunter College of CUNY. According to political scientists, like Falcon, there is a serious under representation of Latinos on the Census Bureau work force. There are also needs for the improvement of Hispanic, race, language, and other Census questions to ensure a more accurate Latino count.

Mexican Americans are the largest Latino group in the U.S., making up 64.3 percent of the total Hispanic population, or 29.2 million people.

Puerto Ricans are the second largest Latino group, however it’s interesting to note that most Puerto Ricans do not live in Puerto Rico. In 2007, the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey set the number of Puerto Ricans living in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia at 4.1 million, slightly greater than the entire population of Puerto Rico (3.9 million.) For more on the Puerto Rican migration read the November political column at ElBoricua.com.

For the first time in 2010, there will be a bilingual Census form with just ten questions, which should take only ten minutes to complete. According to Falcon, the U.S. Census plans a massive three-month, $450 million advertising campaign targeting Latinos. An estimated $28 million will be spent on Spanish language media ads. The government also plans to use Twitter and new media to outreach to all Latinos.

The Latino Census Network would like to reinforce that Census data provided to the government is kept confidential. This is important because the Census Bureau hopes to again count undocumented Latino residents. An accurate count would provide federal funding to needed educational, health, and other community-related programs. An undercount of Latinos in certain local areas can undercut funding for police, fire, and sanitation services.

The network believes a real result in the 2010 Census will have important cultural, social, political, and economic implications for the entire Latino community.

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Puerto Rico Governor Luis G. Fortuño

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Things are getting pretty hot down in Puerto Rico. Late last month a union worker threw an egg at the Commonwealth’s Governor Luis G. Fortuño. The egg incident was in response to massive government layoffs. According to union leaders, many state services will suffer from the reported 17,000 layoffs scheduled for November. Union groups are threatening a large-scale one-day strikeout, tensions are running high, and everyone is watching how Gov. Fortuño handles the pressure.

Gov. Fortuño was sworn into office on January 2, 2009, at a ceremony attended by five of the US territory’s six living governors, the president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, and superstar Latino couple Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

Fortuño holds the distinction of being the first Republican to be elected Governor of Puerto Rico since 1969, and the second Republican governor since 1949. He is also the second US Republican Representative elected from Puerto Rico in the island territory’s history.

Last month a group of about 30 demonstrators struggled with police in riot gear outside Gov. Fortuño’s residence in protest of the additional layoffs the governor says are needed to cut into a $3.2 billion deficit. Fortuño and other top officials, including Police Superintendent Jose Figueroa Sancha, called for calm.

“We are at a tense moment in Puerto Rico. Journalists, the police, the union leaders, we all have to cool down,” Figueroa said during a radio interview.

Activists charge that the conservative governor is using the layoffs as a step towards privatizing government services. Gov. Fortuño says he has to make tough decisions in order to save Puerto Rico’s economy.

“This is the time to act,” Fortuño said in a recent speech where he emphasized that although “the government might be in bankruptcy, Puerto Rico is not because it can emerge strengthened from the crisis.”

We will see.

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