Colonial rule, capitalist crisis fueled Puerto Rico protests

‘Cancel the debt! It’s their debt, not ours!’
Vol. 83/No. 29 - August 12, 2019

No matter who takes the place of Ricardo Rosselló as governor of the U.S. colony of Puerto Rico at 5 p.m. Aug. 2, the political, social and economic crisis there will continue. And so will opposition to the colonial regime’s…


Huge Puerto Rico marches demand governor resign

Support the fight to end US colonial rule!
Vol. 83/ No. 28 - August 5, 2019
July 17 protest demanding resignation of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hundreds of thousands have marched. Question posed is what should working people do next.

The July 23 march of some half a million people in San Juan, Puerto Rico, made it clear that the daily actions there since July 13 won’t stop until Ricardo Rosselló resigns as governor. And that his resignation won’t put…


Independence for Puerto Rico!

Vol. 83/ No. 28 - August 5, 2019

Seth Galinsky, Socialist Workers Party candidate for New York City public advocate, issued the following statement July 24.  Angry over capitalist politicians’ disregard for their lives in the wake of Hurricane Maria, decades of government attacks on their standard of…


UN committee backs Puerto Rico fight for independence

Vol. 83/No. 25 - July 15, 2019

UNITED NATIONS — This year’s U.N. decolonization hearings on the status of Puerto Rico June 24 reflected the growing anger at Washington and the colonial government among millions of Puerto Ricans on the island and in the U.S. over the…


‘We demand: End US colonial rule over people of Puerto Rico’

Vol. 83/No. 24 - July 8, 2019
May 1 union protest in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Front placard says, “No more Promesa” — the U.S.-imposed law demanding Puerto Rico pay its foreign debt — and “No more lies.”

The following is the statement by Seth Galinsky given for the Socialist Workers Party to the U.N. Special Committee on Decolonization at its June 24 hearing on the colonial status of Puerto Rico. Distinguished Madam Chairperson and committee members: My…


Puerto Rico unions protest gov’t health care cuts

Vol. 82/No. 48 - December 24, 2018
Puerto Rico unions protest gov’t health care cuts

More than 1,000 members of public workers unions in the U.S. colony of Puerto Rico marched in San Juan Dec. 5 to oppose the slashing of government payments for medical insurance by some $350 a month. Workers — still reeling…


Puerto Rico: One year after Hurricane Maria

Social disaster is result of capitalism, colonial rule
Vol. 82/No. 37 - October 8, 2018
Lucila Cabrera, 86, sits on porch of her house near Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, still covered with plastic tarp. One year after Hurricane Maria, tens of thousands of homes still have not gotten funds or help to build a new roof. FEMA has denied one third of requests for aid.

One year after Hurricane Maria made landfall in the U.S. colony of Puerto Rico last Sept. 20, the U.S. and local governments continue to display their class disregard for the lives of working people there. Most, but still not all,…


Puerto Rico teachers protest ‘worst school start in decades’

Vol. 82/No. 33 - September 3, 2018
Teachers, students and parents rally in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug. 15 during protest against closings of public schools, overcrowding in those still open and poor conditions teachers face.

Hundreds of teachers, parents and students joined marches called by the Federation of Teachers of Puerto Rico in San Juan and Mayagüez Aug. 15 to protest the disaster being imposed on teachers and students by the colonial overlords in Washington.…


‘We need to tell the truth’ about US colonial rule in Puerto Rico

Vol. 82/No. 27 - July 23, 2018
San Juan protest Jan. 20. Sign carried by man in middle says, “Energize our town Torrecillas. Without light since Irma.” Sign at left says, “We can’t take any more abuses against the poor.”

On July 3 the government-owned electric company of Puerto Rico claimed electricity had been restored to 99.9 percent of its customers. That was little consolation to the over 2,000 mostly rural households still without power nearly 10 months after Hurricane…


Crisis in Puerto Rico caused by colonial control, capitalist rule

Vol. 82/No. 25 - July 9, 2018
Right, John Studer, Socialist Workers Party, addresses U.N. decolonization committee June 18 in support of fight to end U.S. colonial rule. Left, Myrna Pagán from Vieques Lives Matter.

The following is the statement by John Studer, editor of the Militant newspaper, given on behalf of the Socialist Workers Party at the June 18 U.N. Special Committee on Decolonization hearing. Distinguished Chairman and committee members, Dear friends and fellow…