[NYTr] Puerto Rico Can't share Benefits of Regional Cooperation Projects

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles


Puerto Rico Can'tt Share Benefits of Regional Cooperation Projects

Havana, Dec 24 (acn) The absence of Puerto Rico from the Summit of the 
Petrocaribe regional energy program, recently held in Cuba, proves the 
lack of political and economic power that Caribbean country, under the 
colonial rule of the United States.

The statement was made by Puerto Rican independence leader Julio 
Muriente who regretted his country's absence from its own Caribbean 
context, in a moment when new economic cooperation projects are being 
developed.

Muriente, who is the president of the Hostosiano National Independence 
Movement said that Puerto Ricans can not continue to be foreign to 
their own reality, as a consequence of US colonialism.

The independence leader said that although Puerto Rico is not 
prohibited from purchasing Venezuelan oil, which has not been done yet, 
there are hurdles that prevent the country from becoming a member of 
Petrocaribe.

Muriente said that such a situation goes against the interests of 
Puerto Ricans, who can not benefit from the accords reached by 
sovereign nations. He recalled that the alleged benefits provided to 
his people by the United States are mere "acquired rights", such as the 
payment for social security.

Puerto Ricans are US citizens, as imposed by the US Congress since 
1917, when they were recruited to participate in World War I.

Puerto Rico, under commonwealth status since 1952, has no real powers 
in its relationship to the United States. Washington invaded the 
Caribbean island in 1898 as part of its war against the fading Spanish 
empire. Lamentan ausencia de Puerto Rico de su entorno caribeño.