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Nixaly Mendez

Professor VanDyke

ENC 1101-69122

21, November 2022

Puerto Rico’s Fight to Statehood

After the Spanish-American War, Spain lost Puerto Rico to the United States. Although

Puerto Rico did not become a state, the U.S. made it into a territory. Since Puerto Rico is a

territory, they have limited rights compared to the states. For example, Puerto Ricans must

follow federal laws, but their residents are still unable to vote for President of the United Sates;

even though the president is still responsible for anything that happens to the island. Since most

of Puerto Rico wants to become a state, it would make it safer and more economically

functioning if it became the 51st state of America.

About 43 percent of Puerto Rico’s total population is in poverty. Meaning that almost

half of the residents in Puerto Rico, don’t have enough money to buy food, clothing, or to have

shelter. The Editorial Board mentions “But the chief reason has been the perception in

Washington, and especially in the White House, of Puerto Rico as a second class United States

territory where poverty, hardship and shoddy government are accepted as the norm”. If Puerto

Rico were to become a state, they would have the help of the United States government in

providing more access to food, supplies, and even help Puerto Rico build stronger

infrastructures.

In 2017, one of the strongest hurricanes, Hurricane Maria, hit Puerto Rico destroying

over 80 percent of the island and removing 100 percent of electricity and water. Not only was

Puerto Rico completely destroyed but on top of it, help from the former president was minimal.
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Cordova stated, “According to a recent Harvard University study, published in the New England

Journal of Medicine, the estimated death toll caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was

4,645, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in United States history”. The former

president had no interest towards the tragedy that happened to Puerto Rico. But if it were to be

one of the states that had lost over 4,000 people then it would be a bigger issue.

Former President Donald Trump, stated that he was going to make a shipment out to

Puerto Rico to help with food, medicine, water and many more supplies. Later, Puerto Rico had

to find out that they were not going to receive any of these supplies and that they had to

primarily survive on their own with what they had. Frances Robles said, “Puerto Rico is losing

about 90,000 people a year to states such as Florida and Texas”. Normally this would be

surprising, but unfortunately it’s not. The citizens of Puerto Rico are realizing that states, not

territories, are receiving more reliability and benefits from the government compare to the island.

Puerto Rico is the tourist destination for many people around the world. It’s nickname

was Island of Enchantment, for its beautiful natural attractions. Since the island has many natural

tourist spots, the cost of restoration is too much for Puerto Rico to provide alone. If the island

were to become a state, the money from the government would be enough to help restore these

attractions. But since Puerto Rico is only a territory, they are limited to resources to help benefit

these tourist spots. Most Puerto Ricans and their government believe “… statehood is indeed an

immediate possibility and that, once achieved, it would cure all that ails the island” (Arellano).

Puerto Rico is barely surviving with what they have, especially after Hurricane Maria, but with

the help of the United States government, Puerto Rico could have the chance to reach its fullest

potential. This could possibly be a benefit toward the United States. If Puerto Rico were to
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become a state, the money being spent at the island could be reimbursed back to the United

States government.

The government that Puerto Rico has, is a self-governing commonwealth government.

Puerto Rico’s government are who the citizens look up to when there’s an issue in the

community; but can become difficult when over 3.5 million citizens are not receiving the same

benefits as the states. Issues and Controversies mentioned that former Governor Ricardo

Rossello mentioned in his speech that “‘The Untied States cannot pretend to be a model of

democracy for the world while it discriminates against 3.5 million of its citizens in Puerto Rico,

depriving them of their right to political, social, and economic equality under the U.S. flag”. By

discriminating over 3.5 million United States citizens, the Puerto Rican Government is forced to

work with what they have, since the United States Government won’t help support them.

Becoming a state, will allow Puerto Rico to expand its resources to hopefully decrease the rate of

poverty, making the island more financially stable.

Although some oppose to Puerto Rico becoming a state, since it’s not connected to the

rest of the country. It would be blind to not see that Puerto Rico is suffering from the lack of

opportunities that they can reach. Puerto Ricans have been dealing with discrimination in forms

that are unimaginable. They are forced to live in an economy where poverty and no true

governing is common. People from around the world, including Puerto Ricans, have been trying

to make Puerto Rico into a state for years, in hopes of having the “American Dream”. Frances

Robles mentioned “Puerto Rican politicians were pleading their cases to Congress on Monday,

just one day after 97 percent of voters cast ballots in favor of statehood in a non-binding

referendum on the island’s future”. If over 50 percent of the island’s citizens are agreeing to

make Puerto Rico into a state, then they are realizing that there’s too much potential for the
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island but are in need of help from the United States Government. Puerto Ricans want to be

equal with both the Latin and American communities. They want the reliability and the benefits

that the states receive from the American Government.

The Island of Enchantment, better known as Puerto Rico, has been suffering for years.

Why should we let distance get in between the fact that Puerto Rico wants and needs the help of

the Untied States to benefit their community? We should be using our “American democracy” to

good fate. If America were to adopt Puerto Rico as a state, they would be given the same rights

and benefits with every other state. Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of America, in

hopes to not only benefit the community financially but to hopefully reach their fullest potential.

Work Cited
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Cordova, Andres L. "Death toll in Puerto Rico is just another political football." Hill, 7 June

2018, p. 19. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A545670925/OVIC?u=lincclin_hcc&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=e6b74df2. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022.

Board, The Editorial. "The Shame in Puerto Rico." New York Times, 4 June 2018, p.

A22(L). Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A541263908/OVIC?u=lincclin_hcc&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=0bce54f5. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022.

Puerto Rico. (2020, November 9). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from

https://icof.infobase.com/articles/QXJ0aWNsZVRleHQ6MTY0NTQ=#main

Ramirez de Arellano, Suzanne. "Statehood Is Not a Cure-All for Puerto Rico." Gale Opposing

Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/HGFJTT555650297/OVIC?

u=lincclin_hcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=381527c4. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022. Originally

published as "Puerto Rican statehood is sold as a cure-all. That’s a pipe

dream," Guardian, 14 June 2017.

Robles, Frances. "Despite a Vote in Favor, Statehood for Puerto Rico Remains a Distant

Goal." New York Times, 13 June 2017, p. A18(L). Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A495462156/OVIC?u=lincclin_hcc&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=c56f6d3b. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022.