About Mi Islita
Mi Islita (my little island) started in 2001 as an informational site focused on information retrieval, search engine, and seo technologies. In 2014, the site transitioned to a bilingual search engine focused on products and services from Puerto Rico, and its legacy content and core technology were transferred to Minerazzi.com.
About Puerto Rico
Known as The Island of Enchantment (La Isla del Encanto), Puerto Rico (Borikén, Borinquen) is a beautiful archipelago of small paradisiac islands and cays. Located in the Caribbean, the main island is less than three flight hours from Florida. Puerto Rico is the home of reggaeton (Daddy Yankee), trap (Bad Bunny), and salsa music (Hector LaVoe, r.i.p.) pioneers, as well as the home of world-class artists, athletes, and scientists.
Puerto Rico's Statehood
After the 1898 Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became an unincorporated U.S. territory, and a de facto U.S. colony. In 1900, a civilian government was established by means of the Foraker Law. In March 2, 1917, the U.S. Congress passed the Jones-Shafroth Act, also known as the Jones Act of 1917, and the Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act of 1917, which extended American citizenship to all Puerto Rican citizens, but no federal voting rights. As noted at The Library of Congress,
"On March 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones-Shafroth Act. This law gave Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. The Jones Act separated the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches of Puerto Rican government, provided civil rights to the individual, and created a locally elected bicameral legislature. The two houses were a Senate consisting of 19 members and a 39-member House of Representatives. However, the Governor and the President of the United States had the power to veto any law passed by the legislature. Also, the United States Congress had the power to stop any action taken by the legislature in Puerto Rico. The U.S. maintained control over fiscal and economic matters and exercised authority over mail services, immigration, defense and other basic governmental matters."
A different kind of Jones Act was passed in June 5, 1920, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Cabotage Law and the Jones Act of 1920, which since then has increased the living costs in Puerto Rico, by requiring that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried on U.S.-flag ships, constructed in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed by U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents. The 1917 and 1920 Jones Acts were signed by racist President Woodrow Wilson, with both negatively impacting Puerto Rico and its residents.
Puerto Rico: The Ultimate Colony of the USA
First, as a result of the Jones Act of 1917, puertorricans as well as americans living in Puerto Rico are treated as second-class US citizens, and excluded from many federal benefits and programs. Second, as a result of the Jones Act of 1920, the economy and living costs in Puerto Rico are by all means artificially inflated. Thus, comparing the economic indicators and demographics of Puerto Rico with those of other nations is a deceiving exercise.
More than 100 years later, after the US "great" congressional experiments administered through federal and local corrupt politicians, and after so many natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, & outbreaks) more puertorricans are living in the U.S. than in Puerto Rico. At the present time, Puerto Rico is in bankruptcy, under PROMESA (H.R. 5278: Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act), and slaved to an unfair status. Puerto Rico is, indeed, the Ultimate Colony of the United States of America.
Puerto Rico: General References
Mundo Hispánico (1953). Puerto Rico's culture, business & society as of 1953
Número especial dedicado a Puerto Rico, su cultura, sociedad y economía. Mundo Hispánico, 1953.
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