Puerto Rico governor calls on Trump over Venezuela’s threat to security

[ryan robertson]

MOVE OVER GREENLAND AND CANADA— PUERTO RICO MAY BE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR STATEHOOD
AS PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP PREPARES TO TAKE OFFICE,
VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLÁS MADURO IS CALLING FOR PUERTO RICO’S “LIBERATION,” DRAWING ALARM FROM U.S. OFFICIALS.
PUERTO RICO’S GOVERNOR, JENNIFFER GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN, IS URGING SWIFT ACTION, DESCRIBING MADURO’S REMARKS AS A DIRECT THREAT TO U.S. SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY.

IN A LETTER TO MR. TRUMP, GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN HIGHLIGHTED THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF PUERTO RICO, CITING ITS MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, LIKEFORT BUCHANAN AND THE MUÑIZ AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE,THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAYS THE ISLANDS ROLE IN COMBATING DRUG TRAFFICKING THROUGH U.S. COAST GUARD AND CUSTOMS OPERATIONS IS VITAL. SHE SAYS PUERTO RICANS ALSO CONSISTENTLY REJECT INDEPENDENCE, WITH A MAJORITY VOTING FOR STATEHOOD IN A RECENT REFERENDUM.

PUERTO RICO BECAME A U.S. TERRITORY IN 1898, WITH RESIDENTS GAINING CITIZENSHIP IN 1917. HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT VOTE IN GENERAL ELECTIONS OR HAVE VOTING REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.
IN A NOVEMBER REFERENDUM, 57 PERCENT OF PUERTO RICANS FAVORED STATEHOOD, BUT ANY CHANGE TO THE ISLAND’S STATUS REQUIRES CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.

MADURO MADE HIS COMMENTS DURING AN EVENT IN CARACAS, WHERE HE ALSO REFERENCED SUPPORT FROM BRAZIL IN LIBERATING PUERTO RICO. THE VENEZUELAN LEADER WAS RECENTLY SWORN IN FOR A DISPUTED THIRD TERM AMID ALLEGATIONS OF ELECTION FRAUD AND FACES WIDESPREAD CONDEMNATION.

THE U.S. AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS BACK POLITICAL OPPONENT EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ AS THE LEGITIMATE WINNER OF VENEZUELA’S ELECTION AND IMPOSED SANCTIONS ON MADURO’S REGIME, OFFERING A $25 MILLION BOUNTY FOR HIS ARREST.

EXPERTS DISMISSED MADURO’S STATEMENTS AS POLITICAL RHETORIC, NOTING PUERTO RICO’S ELECTORATE CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTS MAINTAINING TIES WITH THE U.S.
OF COURSE, MOST ANALYSTS CONSIDER THE PROSPECT OF A VENESUELEN INVASION IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY, WHICH IS WHY MOST REGIONAL POWERS AREN’T TAKING THE THREAT SERIOUSLY.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MAINTAINS SANCTIONS ON MADURO AND ALSO SUPPORTS VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER. AS PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ASSUMES OFFICE, THERE ARE STILL SOME UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL NAVIGATE U.S. RELATIONS WITH VENEZUELA, PUERTO RICO’S STATEHOOD AMBITIONS, AND MADURO’S PROVOCATIVE STATEMENTS.

GOVERNOR GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN CALLED ON TRUMP TO REAFFIRM U.S. SUPPORT FOR ITS TERRITORIES AND COUNTER MADURO’S ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE REGIONAL STABILITY–BECAUSE AS ANALYSTS WARN– LOSING MOMENTUM IN SUPPORTING VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION COULD FURTHER ENTRENCH MADURO’S REGIME.

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