Puerto Ricans back Palestine in familiar fight against 'colonialism'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
8 Nov 2023 08:57
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Many Puerto Ricans believe that the Palestinian struggle is very similar to their struggle for independence as they continue to face repression by the US.

An undated image depcting a Kuffiya pattern on the white wall to the left, and on the right, images with text written in Spanish reading 'Thousands of seeds will be born from the ruins... and Puerto Rico and Palestine will be free,' in Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Social media)

"Many of our revolutionaries have been murdered fighting for the liberation of Puerto Rico from the US," said the New York-raised Puerto Rican painter and photographer Danielle DeJesus, showing similarities between Puerto Rico and Palestine adding "We are colonized people and they are colonized people," according to Axios.

Since the launch of Operation Al Aqsa Flood, many Puerto Ricans have organized marches in support of Palestine, condemning the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip. For many Puerto Ricans, they see with the Palestinian Resistance a familiar fight against "colonialism".

A San Juan-based volunteer with the community group "Jornada: Se Acabaron Las Promesas," Yanira Arias, stressed that Puerto Ricans, much like Palestinians in "Israel"-occupied territories, "are also trying to continue to fight to be recognized as a nation and to protect their land."

Arias underscored, "Since the establishment of the United States over Puerto Rico, there's been an ongoing process of Puerto Ricans having their resources and land being taken away from them."

6. Hyderabad, Pakistan 📸 Mazdoor Kisan Party
7. San Juan, Puerto Rico
8. Khenifra, Morocco 📸 Moroccan Front to Support Palestine and Against Normalization
9. Caracas, Venezuela pic.twitter.com/8btvGNyFos
— Peoples Dispatch (@peoplesdispatch) November 6, 2023

US repression in Puerto Rico

In that regard it is worth noting that the US has historically repressed, even violently, any pro-independence movements across the island, let alone liberation movements. However, many of the Puerto Rican people find themselves to be second-degree citizens and continue to seek to become a proper US state, if not completely independent.

It is also noteworthy to remember that while Puerto Ricans are considered US citizens, their rights do not match those of non-Puerto Rican Americans. The people of San Juan have no access to federal programs, do not have voting representation in Congress, nor are they eligible to vote during the presidential elections.

On Saturday, Puerto Ricans held a vigil for Palestine where protesters even took it upon themselves and replaced the US flag in San Juan with a Palestinian one. It was also reported that a number of Puerto Rican flags were seen during pro-Palestine marches in Washington DC.

Quitan bandera de EE.UU. y ponen la de Palestina frente al Capitolio de PR. pic.twitter.com/rj85p1RHoo
— Juan C. Dávila (@JuanCineDoc) November 5, 2023

However, some Puerto Ricans, such as Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres, who is of Puerto Rican descent, have voiced pro-Israeli positions, most notably that "Israel has every right to do to Hamas what the United States did to ISIS and al Qaeda."

Later today, Democrats in both chambers intend to re-introduce legislation that would give Puerto Ricans on the island a chance to vote for their independence, for becoming a fully-fledged US state, or to adopt a status as a sovereign nation in free association with the US. However, reports point that in a Republican majority House such a bill will likely not pass.