ANALYSIS/OPINION:
In “Census results show why statehood for Puerto Rico is urgently needed” (Web, June 7) Jose Fuentes cites the reasons why he thinks Puerto Rico should be granted statehood. I strongly disagree with his reasoning and feel there is a better solution for Puerto Rico‘s future.
Puerto Rico has been populated for many years. Experts think people first appeared in the island as far back a 430 B.C. Christopher Columbus first arrived there in 1493 and promptly claimed it in the name of the Spanish crown. That began the long history of subjugation of the native people. In 1898, during the Spanish American war, the United invaded Puerto Rico and Cuba. After the ratification of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, Puerto Rico came under U.S. military control. In other words, Puerto Rico has almost always been the possession of some nation and has never had self-rule. Unlike Cuba, Puerto Rican revolutionaries have never triumphed and brought independence to their people.