SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO

SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 7 (Tuesday, January 14, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 14, 2025)] [House] [Page H121] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) for 5 minutes. Mr. HERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, this past weekend, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro boldly declared his intention to invade and liberate Puerto Rico. As Puerto Rico's Representative before the United States Government, I want to let Mr. Maduro know an overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans support a relationship of permanent union or permanent association with the United States, be that as a State or as a U.S. Commonwealth. That same overwhelming majority also defends the right of a respectable patriotic minority to advocate and fight for the island's independence through peaceful and democratic means. That respect for differing views is a hallmark of our democratic values, something Mr. Maduro clearly does not understand. The future of Puerto Rico will be decided by Puerto Ricans in a peaceful and democratic manner, the same way that the future of Venezuela should be decided by the Venezuelan people in a peaceful and democratic manner. I will address my constituents in Spanish. (Spanish translation of the statement made in English is as follows:) Este pasado fin de semana el dictador venezolano Nicolas Maduro anuncio su intencion de invadir y liberar a Puerto Rico. Una mayoria abrumadora de los puertorriquenos respalda la union o asociacion permanente con los Estados Unidos, a traves del estatus del Estado Libre Asociado o de la aspiracion de convertir a Puerto Rico en un estado de la union. Esa mayoria abrumadora respalda el derecho de una minoria respetable y patriotica de impulsar pacifica y democraticamente el derecho de Puerto Rico a su independencia. Esa tolerancia por las diferencias es uno de los valores fundamentales de nuestra cultura democratica, algo que Nicoas Maduro es incapaz de comprender. Maduro, el futuro de Puerto Rico lo decidiremos pacifica y democraticamente los puertorriquenos, asi como el futuro de Venezuela lo deben decidir pacifica y democraticamente los venezolanos. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Puerto Rico will provide a translation to the Chair. ____________________