Although the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization did not vote on a Puerto Rico resolution this year, unlike in past years, that did not stop a U.N. representative from Cuba from speaking up on the matter. The statement drew rebukes from Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon as well as Congressman Carlos Giménez (R-FL), who was born in Cuba.
Cuba’s statement
Cuba statement began by levying an accusation on the United States, claiming that “as the colonial power, the United States is trying by all means to entrench its economic, political, and social dominance over Puerto Rico.”
“July 25, 2025, will mark 127 years since the United States intervened in Puerto Rico,” the statement continued. “The Commonwealth imposed on Puerto Rico more than 70 years ago was a mere setup by the United States government to exercise total domination over this sister island. The United States Congress has full authority and power over Puerto Rico in matters such as defense, international relations, and foreign trade, while Puerto Rico has limited local authority. This is intended to mask an act of clear colonial domination. The U.S. Supreme Court, Congress, and the administration itself have dismantled this political farce by clearly and unequivocally pointing out that Puerto Rico lacks sovereignty and is completely subject to Washington’s powers. In other words, it is a U.S. possession and colonial territory. Puerto Rican patriots and others, like Cuba, have denounced this situation and invariably support their just cause.”
The representative concluded, “Cuba remains committed to the sustained aspiration of a free and independent Puerto Rico. The definitive solution for Puerto Rico’s fate is not an internal matter for the United States, but rather a matter for the Special Committee on Decolonization and the entire international community to decide.”
Puerto Rico’s response
In response to Cuba’s statement, Congressman Carlos Giménez (R-FL), who was born in Cuba posted, “The longest-lasting and most murderous dictatorship in the history of the hemisphere seeks to support what it denies its own people. #PuertoRico has voted time and again in favor of permanent union with the United States and has chosen statehood in all recent plebiscites.”
Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon built on Rep. Giménez’s strongly worded statement. She wrote on X, “Thank you, Congressman, for standing up in defense of the democratic will of the people of Puerto Rico. While the most repressive dictatorship in the Western Hemisphere dares to speak of rights it denies its own people, Puerto Ricans have voted time and again for statehood and permanent union with the United States. Your support is critical to ensuring that voice is heard and respected in Congress and around the world.”
Closer to Home
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), who is one of only a few members of Congress of Puerto Rican descent, recently called out the practice of condemning violations in foreign countries while ignoring problems in one’s own country. Torres held a spotlight on the U.S., noting the disenfranchisement of three million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico while some Americans also criticize other countries with allegations of unequal treatment. It may be that U.S. legislators are increasingly acknowledging that Puerto Rico’s status is a blot on the United States’ claim to be a beacon of democracy for the world even if they don’t agree with Cuba’s push for Puerto Rico independence.
Updated on June 24, 2025.
