Latin America Advisor 2022-07-05 – Inter-American Dialogue

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

June 13, 2022

Will U.S. Legislation Change the Status of Puerto Rico?

U.S. lawmakers are formulating legislation that could lead to a new referendum on the status of Puerto Rico. The territory’s Capitol in San Juan is pictured. // File Photo: Brad Clinesmith via Creative Commons.

Q

Members of the U.S. Congress are seeking to introduce legislation that could lead to a binding referendum on the status of Puerto Rico. Such a measure could ask voters in the U.S. territory whether they prefer independence, statehood or sovereignty in free association with the United States. How likely is legislation for a binding referendum on Puerto Rico’s status to pass in the U.S. Congress? Would a majority of Puerto Rican voters most likely vote for statehood, as they did in the most recent referendum on the subject, in November 2020? What forces, including in the U.S. Congress, which has ultimate authority on the matter, have prevented a change in Puerto Rico’s status?

A

Rafael Cox Alomar, professor of law at the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia: “After decades of gridlock and crossfire, a glimmer of hope has appeared on the horizon due in no small measure to the leadership of Congresswomen Nydia Velázquez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón. Erstwhile political and ideological foes, they have finally found common ground—drafting a compromise bill that offers the people of Puerto Rico a path for decolonization where the options to be put to the people (through a federal plebiscite) would be noncolonial and nonterritorial in nature. Two of the more innovative features of their proposal is that it leaves out the island’s current colonial status, while introducing free association as the third nonterritorial option. Under a free association arrangement, Congress would relinquish its sovereignty over Puerto Rico…”

Top News

Nicaraguan Police Take Over Five Towns Held by Opposition

Nicaraguan riot police have taken over five towns controlled by the opposition Citizens for Freedom party, which the country’s government outlawed last year.

Remittances to Mexico Reach $5.17 Bn in May

Mexico’s remittances hit a record $5.17 billion in May, a 14 percent increase from the same month last year, the country’s central bank announced. For the first five months of the year, Mexico’s remittances surpassed $22 billion.

Guzmán Resigns as Argentina’s Economy Minister

Martín Guzmán resigned Saturday as Argentina’s economy minister after two and a half years in the position. Silvina Batakis was tapped as his successor.

Complete editions of the Latin America Advisor are delivered on a biweekly basis to members of the Dialogue’s Corporate Program and other subscribers. Sign up below for a free complimentary preview subscription.

ABOUT THE LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

Subscribers

Staff

Gene Kuleta
Editor
202.463.2920
gkuleta@thedialogue.org

Jack Quinn
Reporter

jquinn@thedialogue.org

Lori Rampani
Reporter

lrampani@thedialogue.org

board of advisors

Diego Arria
Director,
Columbus Group

Merike Blofield
Professor of Political Science,
University of Hamburg

Devry Boughner Vorwerk
CEO,
DevryBV Sustainable Strategies

Joyce Chang
Global Head of Research,
J.P. Morgan

Marlene Fernández
Corporate Vice President for Gov’t Relations,
Arcos Dorados (McDonald’s)

Peter Hakim
President Emeritus,
Inter-American Dialogue

Donna Hrinak
Director,
Adtalem Global Education

Jon E. Huenemann
Council Member,
GLG Inc.

James R. Jones
Chairman,
Monarch Global Strategies

Craig Kelly
Senior Director,
Int’l Gov’t Relations,
Exxon Mobil

Barbara Kotschwar
Professor of Political Economy,
Georgetown University

John Maisto
Director,
US Education Finance Group

Nicolas Mariscal
Chairman,
Grupo Marhnos

Thomas F. McLarty III
Chairman,
McLarty Associates

Beatrice Rangel
Director,
AMLA Consulting

Ernesto Revilla
Head of Latin American Economics, Citi

Gustavo Roosen
President,
IESA

Andrés Rozental
President, Rozental &
Asociados

Shelly Shetty
Managing Director,
Sovereigns, Fitch

ONLINE EVENT: After the Vote—What’s Next for Mexico’s Judiciary?

Asia & Latin America

Brazil

education

energy transition & Climate

Mexico

Migration, Remittances & Development

peter d. bell rule of law

cities

Hemispheric Security

Women & Girls