Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez Oppose Status Bill That Would Enshrine Puerto Rico's Colonial Condition

WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) longtime leaders of congressional efforts to decolonize Puerto Rico, issued the following joint statement opposing the status legislation introduced today by Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera:

"During the last three Congresses, we have led serious legislative efforts to forge a path towards real self-determination for Puerto Ricans, underscoring that non-territorial, non-colonial options are the only options viable for true decolonization. Throughout the process of crafting legislation, we engaged in a series of meetings, hearings, and dialogues with Puerto Rican experts, academics, and stakeholders, the Diaspora, and Congress.

"Yesterday, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico co-opted our legislation and introduced a bill that includes an option to maintain the current status of the island as a colony. Over the last three congresses, more and more members have come to acknowledge that the current colonial condition of Puerto Rico is a moral stain on our nation's history that must be addressed. Our country cannot claim to be a bastion of democracy as we continue to hold colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

"The Resident Commissioner's bill denies the colonial character of the Commonwealth, erases historical realities, subverts Democratic consensus, and ignores Supreme Court decisions like United States v. Vaello-Madero, which reaffirmed that Puerto Rico remains subject to Congress's plenary powers. We stand together in opposing this legislation and will continue to fight for a serious decolonization process for Puerto Ricans. This is too vital an issue to be sullied by individual political aspirations."

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