This article summarizes the history of Puerto Rico which is a free State associated with the the United States, located in the Caribbean Sea. The State of Puerto Rico is consisted of the island of Puerto Rico itself, as well as several smaller islands, of which Vieques, Culebra and Isla Mona.
Arrival of Europeans
Puerto Rico was discovered for the first time (for the Européens), by Christophe Colomb, at the time of its second voyage in 1493. It found there Amerindian Tainos. Tainos thought that Colomb was a god because of their difference in skin color.
The first city, San Juan, was quickly founded about 1505 and became the capital of the island in 1521.
It was about the most important possession of the Spanish empire in the the Antilles during the first years of the colonization of Americas.
Arrival of the English
In 1595, Puerto Rico was attacked by Drake and Hawkins, which however was forced, vis-a-vis the resistance of the Spaniards, to withdraw itself.
In 1598, George Clifford plundered San Juan, but the disease forced the English to give up the island.
Island yielded by Spain to the United States of America
In 1898, occurs the Guerre Spanish-American whose stakes are still the object of historical debates.
In 1899, the treated of Paris signed between the the United States and Spain is ratified by the senate states-unien after a stormy debate. In exchange of 20 million dollars, Spain yields its last possessions of Latin America - Cuba and Puerto Rico -, as well as the Filipino .
Democratization
In 1945, Luis Muñoz Marín gains the first democratic elections of the history of Puerto Rico, and in 1952, it helps Puerto Rico to obtain a partial autonomy with respect to the the United States. Since this date, Puerto Rico has the statute of State Libre Associated depend on the the United States, the federal law states-unienne applies to Puerto Rico, the representative of the State has the title of Gouverneur and the Porto Rican representatives with Washington have only one role of observer. However on this date the Porto Rican Olympic committee is created.
Supervision states-unienne
The situation of the State Libre Associated with Puerto Rico is often comparable with that of an autonomous country not sovereign. The topic of the statute of the State is, since the years 1950, the Porto Rican political main theme; 2 principal positions being the independence or integration like 51e federate state of the the United States.
3 Référendum S were carried out in 1967, 1993 and 1998 but did not lead to the modification of the statute of State Libre Associated within the the United States.
In June /juillet 2000 - 2007, the special Comité of the Decolonization of UNO required of the United States to reduce their armed interventions and to let all the trends of public opinion be expressed. Improvements were felt.
The December 23rd 2000, one week before its departure, the president Bill Clinton decides to pass a Task force, a directive which forces to regulate, with an unspecified date, the problems involved in the statute of Porto-Rico by organizing a referendum leaving the choice only between independence or integration like 51e state of the the United States. George W. Bush did not apply this decision and the attacks of the September 11th 2001 diverted the attention of the question.
In 2003 the governor Sila Calderón in its speech of the July 25th, proposed to create a constituent assembly in order to solve the problem of the political statute of the island for 2004; A strong emerging movement in favor of the creation of a associated Republic at that time.
In March 2003, the marine states-unienne gives up the Island of Vieques where a military base had been for more than 60 years. This decision intervenes whereas the naval base was occupied by many campings of civil Désobéissance, of which camping of it Porto Rican independence Parti (PIP), Catholic church and Democratic Popular party . This occupation makes following a demonstration of 100.000 people with San Juan in 2000 after the accidental death of a civilian.
In 2004, the president states-unien George Walker Bush, declares that the island should obtain the same statute as the the Northern Marianna Islands.
In November 2004 is elected Anibal Acevedo Villa Democratic Popular party as governor.
New tensions
The September 23rd 2005, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos historic leader of the Macheteros, independence group Porto Rican of right-hand side is cut down at the 70 years age by agents FBI, after more than 30 years of mare.
The February 10th 2006 of the agents of FBI stopped on the Porto Rican territory:
- Lilliana Laboy leading trade unionist and Executive secretary of the Caribéenne Coordination and Latino-américaine of Puerto Rico,
- William Mohler, leader of the committee independentist,
- Jose Rodríguez, reprocessed freedom fighter.
Information is almost not relayed in the international press. Several local mediums condemn this action describing it as " flashback of 50 ans" and show it to block the freedom of thought and freedom of the press.
May 1st 2006, following political quarrels between the various bodies of the capacity and the American federal bank, preventing a new loan with the government Oporto-yankee, the 95.000 Porto Rican civils servant cannot be paid thus any more (since May 15th), closing schools, hôpitals and universities.
Following these events and with nonthe translation of the Task force of the president Bill Clinton, UNO, via the special Committee of the Decolonization, opens a legal study of the situation étasuno-portorricaine. The June 14th 2006, the committee denounces denies it right to self-determination of the people Oporto-yankee, reaffirms that theplain ones recognize the singularity cultural of the people of Porto-Rico in the the Caribbean and in Latin America. This official statement denounces also the interventions of the FBI and the persecution of the independence movements Oporto-yankees and claims the release of the political prisoners Oporto-yankees (some have been in prison for more than 25 years). Finally the committee reaffirms that it will follow with attention the evolution of the conditon Oporto-ricaine.
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