By ERNIE GOTTA “Every day, folks now more than ever wake up daily with a new notion of politics that is not bound to a vote every four years but to direct action.” The recent protests in Puerto Rico, taken in the context of uprisings across the globe in Sudan, Hong Kong, and Algeria, paint … Continue reading Interview: Rising hopes for Puerto Rican independence
By WYATT MUND The island of Puerto Rico has been the site of massive unrest and protest for over the past two weeks. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets in the largest demonstrations in the island’s history. After a fierce struggle, the initial call from the streets for the resignation of Ricardo Rossello … Continue reading Puerto Rico defiant!
By KEITH LESLIE “The only thing we need now is a hurricane.” These were the words of a financial advisor in Puerto Rico this summer, anticipating the business opportunities the devastation of a hurricane would produce. This framework—which understands disaster as an opportunity for profit—is not unusual. As Naomi Klein showed in her famous book, … Continue reading Disaster capitalism rages in Puerto Rico
Trump’s recent visit to Puerto Rico illustrated an arrogant attitude toward a dire situation. At least 30 percent of Puerto Rican's have no electricity, and electric power is not likely to return until the end of October. The president's threats to cut off aid expose the real intentions of the U.S. ruling class. Prior to … Continue reading Rebuilding Puerto Rico after the hurricane: ‘All Wall Street cares about is their money’
Soon after hurricane Irma devastated islands in the Caribbean and parts of Florida, Socialist Action reporter Ernie Gotta interviewed Omar Pérez Figueroa about the effects of the storm on Puerto Rico. Gotta followed up with Perez after hurricane Maria decimated the island. Pérez, a native of Puerto Rico, is a member of the Juventud Hostosiana, the youth … Continue reading Hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico: U.S. aid is slow and insufficient
INTERVIEW BY ERNIE GOTTA Puerto Rico has suffered for generations under the direct and indirect rule by the United States. The wealth of the island has been stripped by corporate interests while farmers and workers on the island have struggled with political, economic, and environmental degradation. Activists both at home and in the diaspora are … Continue reading Puerto Rican activists fight coal ash dumping
By MILLY GUZMAN-YOUNG President Obama signed the PROMESA debt-restructuring bill into law imposing a Federal Control Board onto Puerto Rico that is comprised of seven appointed U.S. officials who will be in charge of the economy. I see PROMESA as a threat to the livelihood of my friends and family in Puerto Rico. It is … Continue reading What does PROMESA Mean to Puerto Ricans living in the United States?
Socialist Action reporter Ernie Gotta recently interviewed Francisco A. Santiago of Juventud Hostosiana (JH), a youth group for Puerto Rican independence affiliated with the Movimiento Independista Nacional Hostosiano (MINH). This article continues a series that Socialist Action is publishing on the movement against the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). You can … Continue reading Organizing against U.S. colonial rule in Puerto Rico
