A Dip Into Puerto Rican Waters
Posted on June 11, 2008
Filed Under Elections 2008, Politics, Travel | 1 Comment
Starlette is on holiday in Puerto Rico. Rincon, Puerto Rico to be exact. A lovely beach town on the western side of the island.
Known for it’s breathtaking sunsets, Rincon is a secluded beach town with emerald hills that overlook golden calm waters at the south beaches and you can also ride big waves at the north beaches.
We’ve been coming here for the past 10 years , and fortunately, not much has changed. A Miami style hotel popped up a couple of years ago, much to my chagrin, but, I’ve gotten used to it by now. More jobs for the locals. Not a bad thing.
Puerto Rico was Hillary’s last stop during the long winded primaries of 2008. According to the media, Puerto Rican voters came out in full support of Clinton. What most neglected to mention was that only 16% of the voters participated in the primary, compared to 80% who usually vote for the general elections on the island.
Puerto Rico is a semi-independent commonwealth that cannot participate in America’s general elections. Those living in Puerto Rico, and all other U.S. territories, (Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa) are not permitted to vote in November. In order for residents of a territory to gain the right to vote in the general election, the territory would have to gain statehood, or the Constitution would have to be amended. For Puerto Ricans, the primary was a chance to make their voices heard on the mainland.
Puerto Rico’s role within American politics remains hopelessly muddled. The United States won the island from Spain in 1898. Today, 110 years later, Puerto Ricans’ ties to the mainland are still fraught. Since 1952 the island has been a commonwealth. Puerto Ricans can vote in presidential primaries, but not the election itself. They serve in the armed forces, but have no vote in Congress. They enjoy some federal programs, but pay no federal income tax. In essence, Puerto Rico is still a colony.
Puerto Ricans’ state of political limbo was reflected in their attitude to the primary.
Hillary visited Rincon among the 40 towns campaigned in and, enjoyed her stay while in PR at the Horned Dorset Hotel, situated in Rincon.
A couple of years ago, we splurged and had a nice 5 day stay at the Horned Dorset. A lush resort with beach fronted villas and infinity pools. Pricey, but worth it for a quiet getaway.
Rincon offers a variety of accommodations, from cozy bed and breakfast spots like, The English Rose, to surf shacks with minimal luxuries located in Puntas. There are also plenty of beach houses for rent. So, next time you’re looking for a sleepy beach town remember, no passport needed for US residents, Spanish and English are widely spoken and Jet Blue flies directly in Aguadilla airport which is approximately 30 minutes from Rincon.
Adios!
Comments
One Response to “A Dip Into Puerto Rican Waters”
thanks for the blog. Puerto Rico is still a mystery to most american politicians who do not understand that Puerto Rico is a Latin American nation that was invaded in 1898 and that has survived what Hawaii did not thru cultural and political resistance, resistance that paid off in 1952 with the creation of the present status. This primary in the island is seen mostly as a colonial excersise that is only favored by the hardcore ‘pro US statehooders’, those who want to keep Puerto Rico as a self governing free state or want full independence do not favor these american primaries.
8 days after the primary the governor went to the United Nations to denouce Puerto Rico’s lack of sovereignty
BBC news:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7445615.stm