Word: rico
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...Statue of Liberty evoked memories of Tiananmen Square. A mock barrier, dubbed the Wall of Colonialism, was battered down as demonstrators cheered. It might have been an anti-Soviet prop at an independence rally in Lithuania. Instead, this was in the city of Ponce in southern Puerto Rico, and the 125,000 yellow-clad marchers were not calling for the island's freedom but to join the U.S. as the 51st state...
...March 10 rally was surprising for its size, spirit and the message emblazoned on some banners: LA ESTADIDAD ES PARA LOS POBRES. Statehood for the poor? In Puerto Rico's triangulated politics, the statehood cause had been - monopolized by the upper class. A small faction of nationalists and leftists fought, occasionally with guns, for total independence. The rest of the population appeared content with commonwealth status, the pragmatic option in effect since 1952. As an American commonwealth, or "associated free state" in island usage, Puerto Rico has received enough benefits and tax concessions from Washington to make it rich...
Supporters of the perpetuation of the commonwealth have also argued that Puerto Rico does not have enough economic independence to survive as a state. But Romero-Barcelo said the island is already a welfare commonwealth...
Romero-Barcelo also rejected the independence movement, which would establish Puerto Rico as a separate republic, because "economically, we would be in a very bad situation." He said he is "happy and content" with his U.S. citizenship...
...Harvard Foundation initially planned a speech with the current governor of Puerto Rico, Rafael Hernandez-Colon, on Wednesday. That speech was cancelled because the governor is ill, but organizers said they plan to reschedule it. Hernandez-Colon is a major supporter of the commonwealth movement...