Franky Benítez

As reported in Spanish by EL Nuevo Día, Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper, the lawsuit submitted in 2006 against the United States government by former pro-statehood Governor Pedro Rosselló to the Organization of American States (OAS) is still in at a preliminary stage with the OAS’ investigative commission.

Rosselló argued before the OAS commission that the residents of Puerto Rico do not have the right to vote for U.S. president or have a full-fledged representation in Congress, and that the US federal government violates the human and civil rights to the 3.7 million residents of the island.

The United States, responding to Rosselló’s suit, said through its OAS representative, said that the residents of Puerto Rico have “repeatedly” supported the current Commonwealth status through several plebiscites.

“The results of these status votes have not expressed a preference for statehood, the status which will give [Puerto Ricans] the federal right to vote,” said Milton Drucker, deputy US representative to the OAS.

For the popular representative Jorge Colberg Toro the position taken by Drucker represented a “face mask” to the PNP.

But, the resident commissioner in Washington, Pedro Pierluisi, chosen by the pro-statehood new Progressive Party (PNP) disagreed.

“Nothing is going to have more weight in our struggle that the vote of a majority of American citizens residing in Puerto Rico for statehood. It’s time to assume our own responsibility, “said Pierluisi.

According to chief executive of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Fernando Martín, the position at the OAS is a reaffirmation that the United States recognizes its responsibility to decolonization.

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