+5 Yes, Puerto Rico is widely considered a colony—or often described as the world’s oldest colony—due to its status as an unincorporated U.S. territory. While residents are U.S. citizens, they lack voting representation in Congress, cannot vote for president,
But not lately. They’ve been voting for becoming a state since Obama iirc, and they’ve been systematically ignored by Democrat and Republican administrations.
I must add, independence movements are rarely allowed by the oppressor. So, they shouldn’t be bothered about what the USA will “let” them do, if they were inclined for independence, which, I repeat, is not the case with PR.
Have they had a vote endorsing being a state? That’s news to me, I remember a vote losing, don’t remember one since. Yeah I mean PR could fight a guerrilla war to become independent if they didn’t want to concern themselves with what the US will let them do. They are stuck with the US, as we are.
Every ~4 years. Latest vote was taken in 2024, and they voted to become a state. It’s been like this for four consecutive plebiscites, but even before, it was kind of a popular option.
I remember one in the 00s where they said no anyway, don’t recall an exact frame of reference for the year.