Puerto Rico

[Rawthentic]

What is the situation in Puerto Rico at the moment? Are there any revolutionary developments? I know that it is under US rule, but what are the people doing? Is the situation serious? Id also like to know about the revolutionary groups operating in Puerto Rico. Thanks comrades

[Karl Marx's Camel]

but what are the people doing?

It's my understanding (from reading a bit here and there) that the people are generally happy with Puerto Rico's position regarding the U.S...

I think I read some statistics which said only a minority favored independence.

Others on this forum will probably know more though...

[Solitary Mind]

Well no official sources other than a close friend who recently moved here from puerto rico, he says that while some are content, most want puerto rico to be independant..if i can find some sort of source ill make sure to post it though

[Raúl Duke]

Actually, there are some independentista groups in PR (1 is an armed revolutionary "army" called Los Machateros, and 2 political parties, PIP and another one called Movimiento Independentista Nacional Hostosiano. There might be other parties like a socialist one, but only these I know)

Los Machateros are an armed group and recently suffered from FBI raids. One lead member called Filiberto Ojeda was killed during an FBI raid and this caused some controversy in the Island. In reality, they aren't much of a guerilla army because I don't see them carry out much operations, so in my opinion they are just some independentistas that have guns.

The PIP (partido independetista puertorriquena) party is one of the main 3 political party in PR. They get the least votes (of the 3), yet there has been a raise of Independentista Senators. Their leader is Ruben Berrios.

The MINH is similar to PIP, except that in the case of independence they would also want to eliminate all US bases in the island. (if there are any other diferences, I do not know.)

If there are any others, I don't know them or much about them.

In PR the population do not seem to support much the independentistas, but the reason why is not that they are assimilationists, but that they are afraid what would happen if the US left the territory. A big amount of the population in PR is on welfare, and welfare in PR comes from US federal funds. Also they fear that many businesses would leave, etc.

Most of the Puerto Ricans vote for the continuation of colonial rule (or commenwealth) for these and other similar reasons because they don't want to lose US economical benefits.

PR also has a party that is in favor of become the 51st state, this party (PNP) is like Number 2 (The PPD gets the most votes, yet sometimes they lose elections to the PNP) because in polls and referendums conducted in the 90s about 45-50% wanted to be a state. (while for the commenwealth it was 50%-55% and for independence 5%-10%)

Oh yes, the friend Solitary Mind was refering to was me.... :)

(I hope I didn't get anything wrong in my information.....this is my second post)

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

There might be other parties like a socialist one, but only these I know

The Socialist Front (FS) and the Socialist Workers Movement (MST) are the main ones. The MST used to belong to the FS.

The EPB (Macheteros) are leftist.

Alot of what the comrade said above is correct, and it's also important to remember that alot of Independistas boycott the referendums. The FS promots boycotts for example.

[Rawthentic]

Ok. Actually, what I had in mind was a Puerto Rico in deep discontent with US rule, and ready to fight for it. Obviously I was wrong. I thought that the people were conscious on general about US imperialism since they are subject to it.

From the independentistas, I expected their platform to be anti-imperialism as well as the establishment of socialist society.

Are there any significant socialist groups in Puerto Rico?

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Originally posted by me
The Socialist Front (FS) and the Socialist Workers Movement (MST) are the main ones. The MST used to belong to the FS.

The EPB (Macheteros) are leftist.

****

If you want to look into popular resistance to U.S. imperialism in PR, and there has been alot.. research the FALN, EPB, Vieques, etc.

[Rawthentic]

Ok. Are those groups in operation right now? Are they significant in society? If not, which ones are?

Also, is the anti-US struggle significant amongst the people there? What are the conditions?

[Raúl Duke]

I believe many of these groups are in operation.

The question whether they are significant in society is difficult to say....One reason why is that they receive the least support. The most significant would be the PIP because it appears in the ballot and is well known. But if you want a more revolutionary organization you would have to side with the groups metioned by CompaneroDeLibertad, even so their support is probably smaller.

The anti-US struggle may not be as significant as you hope it to be....Since the population is afraid of a future in which they are independent due to that a large amount of population is on welfare (condition) from US federal funds.Also the island depends alot on the US economicaly, in other things(another condition).

If I were to compare the significance of the anti-US struggle in PR to that of say, other Latin American countries, the significance in PR is lower due to its conditions (Since latin american countries aren't part of US federal welfare system, or given money to keep their governments affloat, they tend to be able to have a resistence (anti-US struggle) against US economical interests like more privitazation, etc while PR, unfortunatly, seems to have no other choice)

Also the people of PR are not that socialist-leaning, they could be considered more like social liberal leanings. (But unlike in Miami, Che is viewed positively in PR, but Fidel is viewed negatively in PR and Miami) So they aren't going to support or vote for a socialist party en masse.

(I hope this information is useful to you hastalavictoria....this is my 3rd post)
(I hope I got the info right.... :unsure: )

[Rawthentic]

yeah bro, thanks, it did help. I just wanted to know on the situation in Puerto Rico.

[Solitary Mind]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2006, 10:52 PM
I believe many of these groups are in operation.

The question whether they are significant in society is difficult to say....One reason why is that they receive the least support. The most significant would be the PIP because it appears in the ballot and is well known. But if you want a more revolutionary organization you would have to side with the groups metioned by CompaneroDeLibertad, even so their support is probably smaller.

The anti-US struggle may not be as significant as you hope it to be....Since the population is afraid of a future in which they are independent due to that a large amount of population is on welfare (condition) from US federal funds.Also the island depends alot on the US economicaly, in other things(another condition).

If I were to compare the significance of the anti-US struggle in PR to that of say, other Latin American countries, the significance in PR is lower due to its conditions (Since latin american countries aren't part of US federal welfare system, or given money to keep their governments affloat, they tend to be able to have a resistence (anti-US struggle) against US economical interests like more privitazation, etc while PR, unfortunatly, seems to have no other choice)

Also the people of PR are not that socialist-leaning, they could be considered more like social liberal leanings. (But unlike in Miami, Che is viewed positively in PR, but Fidel is viewed negatively in PR and Miami) So they aren't going to support or vote for a socialist party en masse.

(I hope this information is useful to you hastalavictoria....this is my 3rd post)
(I hope I got the info right.... :unsure: )
hey and i was just speakin about you (earlier post)

good info comrade