Puerto Rico Open Your Eyes

Por tercer año consecutivo, Annette Falcón comparecerá ante el Comité Especial de Descolonización de las Naciones Unidas para presentar una perspectiva que considera importante que todos los puertorriqueños conozcan y evalúen.

Este próximo 22 de junio, Annette llevará nuevamente ante la ONU la propuesta de la reunificación de Puerto Rico con España como la 18.ª comunidad autónoma, una alternativa que rara vez forma parte de la conversación pública sobre el futuro político de nuestra isla.

Independientemente de cuál sea su postura sobre el estatus político de Puert...

On June 22, I will have the honor of addressing the United Nations Decolonization Committee to present a perspective that many Puerto Ricans have never had the opportunity to hear: the proposal for the reunification of Puerto Rico with Spain as its 18th autonomous community.

Regardless of where you stand on Puerto Rico's political status, I believe our people deserve the opportunity to learn about every option before deciding our future. I invite you to follow this important moment, listen with an open mind, and draw your own conclusions.

To stay connected beyond social media algorithms...

Hola a todos.

Muchos de ustedes me conocen a través del podcast Puerto Rico: Abran los Ojos. Pero hoy me dirijo a ustedes en mi capacidad como presidente de la Iniciativa Nacional Puerto Rico y España.

Este próximo 22 de junio tendré el honor de comparecer ante el Comité Especial de Descolonización de las Naciones Unidas para presentar una propuesta que pocas veces forma parte de la conversación pública: la reunificación de Puerto Rico con España como la 18.ª comunidad autónoma.

Durante décadas, los puertorriqueños hemos escuc...

In this episode of Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes, Edwin Ortiz introduces a new radio talk show format with a thoughtful discussion on one of the most misunderstood questions in Puerto Rico’s political conversation:

Was Puerto Rico ever a sovereign country?

Before answering that question, this episode looks back at Puerto Rico’s political development under Spain, especially the 1897 Carta Autonómica, the elections of March 27, 1898, and the autonomous framework that was beginning to take shape before the United States invaded the island.

The episode also compares Puerto Rico’s 1897 autonomy to Spain’s...

En las últimas semanas y meses hemos visto un aumento en reportajes, entrevistas y declaraciones sobre el supuesto papel estratégico de Puerto Rico dentro de asuntos militares y geopolíticos en el Caribe y América Latina.

Pero mientras estas conversaciones ocupan titulares y espacios mediáticos, surgen preguntas importantes:

Estamos enfocándonos en las verdaderas necesidades del pueblo puertorriqueño?

Qué lecciones nos dejó la lucha de Vieques?

Podría ser que ciertas narrativas estén desviando nuestra atención de problemas urgentes como la falta de agua, la criminalidad...

En 1902, apenas cuatro años después de que Estados Unidos tomara control de Puerto Rico, una joven puertorriqueña llamada Isabel González llegó a Nueva York buscando reunirse con su prometido y comenzar una nueva vida.

Sin embargo, al llegar a Ellis Island fue detenida y tratada como una inmigrante extranjera.

Lo que ocurrió después cambiaría la historia de Puerto Rico para siempre.

Negándose a aceptar la decisión de las autoridades, Isabel llevó su caso hasta la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos y obligó al país a enfrentar...

Después del huracán María, intenté enviar una pequeña caja con suministros a mi familia en Puerto Rico. Lo que ocurrió en una oficina de FedEx me dejó completamente sorprendido.

Cuando pregunté por qué el costo del envío era tan elevado, me dijeron que Puerto Rico aparecía en el sistema como un destino internacional.

Aquella respuesta me hizo preguntarme algo que nunca había considerado.

Si Puerto Rico pertenece a los Estados Unidos, por qué en ocasiones es tratado como si fuera extranjero?

Lo que no sabía...

Puerto Rico’s future is often framed as a choice between courage and fear. But that framing ignores a critical distinction. Autonomy is not an untested idea—it is a constitutional status Puerto Rico already possessed, one that was democratically exercised and then interrupted. Independence, by contrast, has never been implemented in Puerto Rico’s modern history and would require rebuilding essential systems from the ground up. This is not a question of ideals, but of responsibility: which path preserves stability while restoring self-government, and which asks the population to absorb the risks of starting over? The question is not wh...

Did you know that Puerto Rico once had its own constitution—completely unrelated to the United States?

Before the U.S. invasion in 1898, Puerto Rico was already a self-governing political entity. In 1897, the island was granted the 1897 Autonomic Constitution (Constitución Autonómica) by royal decree, establishing an elected Puerto Rican government, its own parliament, control over internal affairs, and recognition of Puerto Ricans as political citizens—not colonial subjects.

This constitution was not temporary, experimental, or symbolic. It was legally binding and could only be altered with the consent of Puerto Rico itself.

When...

La mayoría de la gente sabe que Puerto Rico no puede votar por el presidente de Estados Unidos. Saben que no tenemos representación con voto en el Congreso ni en el Senado.

Pero lo que muchos no entienden es que los puertorriqueños estamos doblemente privados de derechos.

En la isla, no podemos votar por el presidente ni por el Congreso. No hay representación. No hay voz.

Luego, muchos somos forzados a irnos— por la crisis económica, los huracanes, la austeridad y la inestabilidad— para sobrevivir y apoyar a nuestras...

En este episodio, José Bahido y Edwin Ortiz analizan y aclaran varias afirmaciones hechas en el canal Carlos Te Explica relacionadas con la autonomía de Puerto Rico.

El propósito de esta conversación no es atacar personas, sino corregir imprecisiones y añadir contexto histórico y legal que fue omitido. Cuando se discuten temas tan delicados como el estatus político de Puerto Rico, la información incompleta puede generar confusión.

Este episodio busca ofrecer claridad, rigor y una discusión basada en hechos, para que la audiencia pueda evaluar el tema con m...

When people hear that Puerto Rico once had autonomy under Spain, many react with disbelief. Others vaguely remember dates like 1812 or 1897, but rarely understand what those moments actually meant.

Some compare Puerto Rico to the Canary Islands and assume that autonomy there must have existed earlier or in the same way.

But the historical reality is far more revealing — and far more uncomfortable for modern narratives.

Puerto Rico did not experiment with autonomy. Puerto Rico had constitutional autonomy.

To understand this clearly, we need to separate three concepts that are often co...

Existe un mito que se repite una y otra vez, sin importar de qué opción de estatus se esté hablando.

Algunos dicen:

“Si Puerto Rico se convierte en una región autónoma de España, perderemos nuestra bandera”.

Otros afirman:

“Si Puerto Rico se convierte en un estado de Estados Unidos, perderemos nuestra bandera”.

Seamos claros y justos: ambas afirmaciones son falsas.

Ninguna opción de estatus implica borrar la identidad de un pueblo. Las banderas no desaparecen por decreto; desaparecen cuando el miedo sustituye a los hechos y...

Hoy en día, no todos los ataques vienen con gritos o insultos. Algunos llegan de forma más sutil: secuestran un video y cambian la narrativa.

Toman unos segundos fuera de contexto, ignoran el mensaje completo y lo moldean para servir a sus propios intereses. No buscan entender, buscan confundir. No quieren dialogar, quieren imponer una versión que beneficie su postura.

Así se distorsiona la verdad: no con hechos, sino con recortes; no con argumentos, sino con insinuaciones. Y cuando la narrativa cambia, el enfoque se pierde y el debate se contamina.

Po...

When people hear that Puerto Rico once had autonomy under Spain, many react with disbelief. Others vaguely remember dates like 1812 or 1897, but rarely understand what those moments actually meant.

Some compare Puerto Rico to the Canary Islands and assume that autonomy there must have existed earlier or in the same way.

But the historical reality is far more revealing — and far more uncomfortable for modern narratives.

Puerto Rico did not experiment with autonomy. Puerto Rico had constitutional autonomy.

To understand this clearly, we need to separate three concepts that are often co...

Puerto Rico is often spoken about in the language of solidarity, but history tells a different story. Whether it is the United States or Venezuela, attention toward Puerto Rico has rarely been driven by genuine concern for the island’s well-being. More often, it emerges when Puerto Rico becomes useful politically, strategically, or symbolically.

In moments of crisis, speeches grow louder and flags are raised, yet the underlying reality remains the same: Puerto Rico is treated as a point of leverage, not a priority. This is not about left or right, socialism or capitalism. It is about in...

Many people say, “As long as I have U.S. citizenship, nothing else matters.” What’s often overlooked is that not all U.S. citizenship is equal under the law.

Puerto Ricans did not receive citizenship through the 14th Amendment. Our citizenship was granted by Congress through statute in 1917. That legal difference matters because Congress retains authority over Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory where the Constitution does not fully apply.

This is why Puerto Ricans cannot vote for President and have no voting repres...

En 1898, los puertorriqueños eran ciudadanos españoles. Tenían derechos civiles, representación en el Parlamento español y recién habían conseguido autonomía con la Carta Autonómica.

Puerto Rico imports over 85% of its food, much of which is ultra-processed, high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats. This diet shift is linked to:

Después de la Invasión de EE.UU.: Colapso de la Soberanía Alimentaria

Desde 1898, las políticas coloniales de EE.UU.:

Esta es una pregunta importante que revela mucho sobre cómo se trata a Puerto Rico: como una posesión, no como un socio. Aquí te explicamos por qué:

xiste alguna ley que prohíba hablar español en Estados Unidos?

1985 (14 años de edad):

Viste campos de piña, caña de azúcar y plantaciones de frutas — un legado del rico pasado agrícola de Puerto Rico.

Tus padres, nacidos en Lajas y Río Piedras, formaban parte de una generación que aún tenía raíces en esa tierra y forma de vida.

But what she fails to acknowledge is this: statehood is not a right—it is a political decision reserved solely for the United States Congress. The people of Puerto Rico cannot vote themselves into the Union.

Some Puerto Rican pundits claim we cannot consider becoming an autonomous province of Spain because they don’t want their tax dollars supporting a monarchy. But let’s look at the facts — and ask a bigger question:

The reasons for this difference are rooted in politics, economics, race, and strategic interests. Here's a breakdown:

Without realizing it, many Puerto Ricans benefit from socialist-style programs provided by the U.S. — yet they criticize socialism as if it's an evil ideology.

Boricuas what will you do

es, crime in Puerto Rico is significant, especially violent crime and gun violence. Here are the key points:

El Congreso acaba de votar para terminar con el estatus territorial de Puerto Rico.El Tratado de París de 1898 se anula.Y Puerto Rico es ahora un país independiente… sin un solo dólar de ayuda de Estados Unidos.

Yes, there is some historical and archaeological discussion about pre-Taíno peoples in Puerto Rico and the broader Caribbean. While the dominant indigenous group at the time of Spanish arrival was the Taíno, they were not the first inhabitants of Puerto Rico. Here's a clearer breakdown:

One thing we’ve noticed more and more is that people who aren’t Puerto Rican keep trying to tell our story — our culture, our history, our future.

But here’s the truth:

No one can tell our story better than we can. Not journalists from the outside. Not influencers chasing likes. Not scholars who’ve never lived our struggle.

It’s time for us to take the bull by the horns. To speak for ourselves. To reclaim our narrative.

That’s why we’ve launched our podcast — “Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos” — a space...

For such a small island, Puerto Rico shines on the world stage.

From Grammy-winning artists to Olympic athletes, world-class chefs to cultural icons — Puerto Rico punches far above its weight. The world sings our songs, dances to our rhythms, and savors our food. Our culture, our language, our people — they captivate the globe.

Did you know Puerto Ricans have a shorter path to Spanish citizenship than most people in Latin America?Let’s break down the facts — and the history — behind this unique connection.

Yes, there are historical records of Puerto Ricans moving to the United States during Spanish rule, although the migration was limited in size and scope compared to later waves under U.S. sovereignty.

The U.S. Jones Act Would Never Be a Factor for Puerto Rico Under Autonomy with Spain — Here's Why:

🚢 What is the Jones Act? The Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) is a U.S. federal law that requires all goods shipped between U.S. ports to be carried on U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed ships. It significantly raises shipping costs to and from Puerto Rico because:

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, not a state. Because of that, Congress holds plenary (full) powers under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2). This means:

🟥 Congress can overturn, veto, or nullify any law passed by Puerto Rico’s government — even if it was passed democratically.

Puerto Rico Must Choose a Path — Before It’s Too Late

If Puerto Rico doesn’t decide its future soon, it risks being left behind — just like the United States is being left behind on the global stage.

Puerto Rico once produced coffee — and not just any coffee. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Puerto Rican coffee was among the most prestigious in the world, even served in the Vatican and European royal courts.

Puerto Ricans began migrating to the United States in significant numbers in the early 20th century, especially after Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898 and Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917 through the Jones-Shafroth Act. Here's a breakdown of when, where, and what they experienced: