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WORLD NEWS Saturday 21 May 2022
U.S. lawmakers urge binding vote on Puerto Rico status

By DÁNICA COTO “Nobody can deny that
Associated Press the current status of Puerto
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Rico is undemocratic,” said
— A group of mostly Demo- Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, whose
cratic congress members, New Progressive Party has
including the House major- long pushed for the island
ity leader, on Thursday pro- to become the 51st U.S.
posed a binding plebiscite state. The main opposition
to decide whether Puerto Popular Democratic Party,
Rico should become a which supports the sta-
state or gain some sort of tus quo, rejected the pro-
independence. posed plebiscite because
The draft proposal un- it does not include Puerto
veiled at an online news Rico’s current political sta-
conference would com- tus. “This project excludes
mit Congress to accepting those who think differently,”
Puerto Rico into the United said party president José
States if voters on the is- Luis Dalmau, who is also
land approve it. But even president of Puerto Rico’s
if the plan were to pass the Senate and vowed to fight
Democratic-led House, the the proposal. “This is a lack
proposal appears to have of respect.”
little chance in the Senate, Meanwhile, backers said
where Republicans have The Puerto Rican flag flies in front of Puerto Rico’s Capitol as in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 29, the next step is to hold pub-
long opposed statehood. 2015. Associated Press lic hearings in Puerto Rico
Voters also could choose on the proposed bill prior to
outright independence or long disagreed on what the support of Jenniffer held during the Novem- its introduction. If eventu-
independence with free Puerto Rico’s political status González, Puerto Rico’s ber 2020 general elections, ally approved, Pierluisi said
association, whose terms should be. “Getting to this congressional representa- with 53% of votes for state- the plebiscite would be
would be defined following point has not been an easy tive and a Republican who hood and 47% against, with held on Nov. 5, 2023.
negotiations over foreign process. Is it perfection? has limited voting powers. only a little more than half The proposal comes at a
affairs, U.S. citizenship and No,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva Puerto Rico has held seven of registered voters partici- time when Puerto Rico is
use of the U.S. dollar, said of Arizona, chairman of the unilateral, nonbinding ref- pating. mAs a U.S. territory, trying to emerge from a
Rep. Darren Soto of Florida. U.S. House Natural Resourc- erendums on the issue, but Puerto Ricans have U.S. citi- lengthy bankruptcy and
If no majority emerges, a es Committee, which over- this would be the first that zenship but are not allowed recover from the devasta-
second round of voting sees affairs in U.S. territories. would not include possible to vote in general elections; tion left by Hurricane Maria
would be held between U.S. House Majority Leader continuation of the current they have a congressional in 2017.
the top two alternatives. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Mary- status as a U.S. common- representative with limited There is also growing dis-
The measure, not yet intro- land said all those involved wealth. No overwhelming voting powers, and they re- content with Puerto Rico’s
duced, follows months of had to make compromises, majority for or against state- ceive less money from cer- two main parties and on-
negotiations between fed- but he pledged to push hood emerged in earlier tain federal programs than going government corrup-
eral lawmakers who have the bill through. The bill has referendums. The last was do people in U.S. states. tion scandals. q

Nicaraguan bishop fasts to protest

police harassment

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Ro- before his re-election to a protests that broke out in
man Catholic bishop in fourth consecutive term April 2018 and became
Nicaragua began an “in- last year. His government a call for Ortega to step
definite fast” Friday inside a has shut down dozens of down. Since then, Álvarez’s
church to protest increas- nongovernmental organi- sermons often criticize the
ing harassment from na- zations that he accuses of government and demand
tional police, who he said working on behalf of for- the release of political pris-
followed him throughout eign interests to destabilize oners.
the entire previous day. his government. Tens of “Today I have been fol-
Rolando Álvarez, the bish- thousands of Nicaraguans lowed all day by the San- Rolando Alvarez, Bishop of Matagalpa, attends a press
op of Matagalpa and a have been chased into dinista police, since the conference regarding the Roman Catholic Church’s agreeing
fierce critic of President exile. The Catholic church morning through these to act as “mediator and witness” in a national dialogue between
Daniel Ortega’s govern- remains influential, but hours of the night, at every members of civil society and the government in Managua,
ment, said in a video pub- has not escaped Ortega’s moment, during all of my Nicaragua, May 3, 2018. Associated Press
lished by his diocese that wrath. He has accused its day’s movements,” Álvarez
police had even breached priests of being “terrorists said in the video Thursday at risk the safety of my fam- formed church leaders
his “circle of family privacy” and coup plotters” and night. ily.” That was when he de- they would respect the
while he visited a niece. blamed them for partici- Álvarez said he confronted cided to shelter in a church privacy of his family. “The
Ortega’s government ar- pating in his “failed over- his pursuers and was told in the southeast of the cap- insecurity of this country is
rested dozens of political throw.” they were just “following ital Managua and begin his precisely the police, those
opposition leaders, includ- Álvarez was one of the bish- orders.” Rather than back fast. who make us feel unsafe
ing most of the potential ops who supported dem- down, the police followed The bishop said he would with that persecution,” he
candidates, in the months onstrators in massive street him into the night “putting fast until the police in- said. q