Puerto Ricans march to demand action on island's status

Two-thousand marchers call on government to acknowledge plebiscite results.

Storified by AJAMStream· Fri, Nov 08 2013 14:37:34

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The marchers represented a diverse group and included both those who support statehood and those who favor independence. Ricardo Rosselló, march leader and son to former governor Pedro Rosselló, told El Vocero : “With its inaction, Puerto Rico’s government has ignored the people, but we continue getting to where we need to send this message.”

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Last year, Puerto Ricans voted on whether to maintain the island's current status as a territory of the United States. The ballot below shows the majority of residents favored a change in status.



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However, those who want a change in status differ when deciding what the island should become. According to the results of the plebiscite below, a majority of Puerto Ricans favor officially joining the union as the 51st state. Thirty-three percent of Puerto Ricans prefer becoming a free associated state, while a small population wants the island to become an independent nation. The media organization Latino Rebels notes that more than 400,000 Puerto Ricans opted out of declaring a preference at the encouragement of then-governor-elect Alejandro García Padilla.

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On November 19, Puerto Ricans will gather at the U.S. Capitol for Puerto Rican Day of Equality, urging Congress to address Puerto Rico's status and demand action to assist its struggling economy. The poster below says "520 years are too much," referring to the island's 520 years of colonial occupation.

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What do you think? Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state, stay a territory, or declare independence? Leave a comment below.