First off, as a Puerto Rican who has lived in the United States and Puerto Rico, the islands political climate under the US umbrella had always interested me. So when a situation such as what is occurring on the island unfolds and I find myself back in the United States, I can't help but closely notice the reactions from within the belly of the beast.
Via Twitter the US president tweets, "The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump."
Let me be very clear about one thing, this isn't a party issue. The Puerto Rican people aren't looking at this through a party politics perspective. The ruling class political parties on the island have suffered immensely to the point that they are almost irrelevant. So for Trump to even include the Democrats shows a massive disconnect. Why do I say this?
First of all, the words of Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz on Friday where that of the people, not a party. Nothing she said had to do with politics, it had to do with a critical analysis of the lack of logistical coordination on both sides.
On one side, the Puerto Rican people are very aware of the $123 billion in debt and pension obligations mounted by 'both' PPD and PNP ruling political parties. Included in this number is $74 billion of which is un-audited with government officials unwilling to audit, leaving us with the conclusion of illegal business deals, misuse of public funds, and corruption scandals stacked within this deck of cards.
On the other side, we all know Puerto Rico is a colony. It's in the name not the nature; Borikén, as the native Taino's called it has been occupied for 525 years. 119 of those years had been under US colonialism. The nature of colonialism is to exploit the wealth and maintain a culture of dependency. This has been accomplished by both the US and Puerto Rican ruling class. One of the mechanisms of colonialism used to extract this wealth is called the Jones Act.
This brings us to President Donald Trump, his tweets and crimes against humanity. While Trump tweets in defense of the US disaster relief aid, history will always remember that it took eight days after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico for Trump to 'temporarily' suspended the Jones Act. This colonial grip on the island amounts no nothing less than a crime against humanity. A crime against humanity that we are all witnessing unfold. While the corrupt officials share responsibility to the crisis on the island, the very fact that it took eight days is unacceptable. The very fact that it is only a suspension in light of the scale of destruction reveals the true nature of the beast.
It has to be said, it is as if somebody is trying to commit genocide against us; we have to prevent this.
¡Puerto Rico se levantará! ¡Pa'lante mi gente!