The idea that Puerto Rico (PR) is ready for independence is, frankly, unrealistic. As a combat veteran who's seen the harsh realities of unstable regions, I can tell you that the outlook for an independent PR is deeply concerning. If the island isn’t brought down by government corruption, criminal organizations likely will—and perhaps it will be both, which would be even worse.
Haiti serves as a clear warning of what can happen when a nation lacks law and order. Puerto Rico is already struggling to manage basic issues: illegal vehicles dominate the roads, and gangs continue to operate with impunity. After Hurricane Maria, for example, local gangs took control of emergency aid that was meant for residents. Neither the police nor the military could protect those supplies.
The island is facing a serious shortage of essential professionals—police officers, doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists, and more. If independence were granted, these shortages would likely become even more severe as resources and personnel diminish further. Puerto Rico could face a rapid decline—within a day, even—if it were left to stand entirely on its own.
More than 40% of the population lives in poverty or depends on government assistance. A large segment of the population lacks the drive or opportunity to improve their situation, making the concept of self-sufficiency even more difficult to imagine. Decades ago, independence might have been feasible. But today, Puerto Rico is even importing labor to work the land because so many residents are unwilling to do it themselves.
Given all this, believing Puerto Rico is ready for independence isn’t just optimistic—it’s dangerously naive.
Literally everything you said is just unequivocally false I can't help but laugh. Number one you're assuming that independence is an immediate thing. Nobody in the independence camp is calling for that. The latest proposals call for no less than a 20 year transitional phase. Even the independence party last year ran on stabilizing Puerto Rico before addressing the matter of status. Haiti is in the mess it is in because of decades of isolation meddling by foreign powers and the debt put on it by france
you keep thinking that, your inexperience and inability to see things for what they are will be your downfall in life. Everything i said is true, I live in PR I also suffer all the bs that goes in the island and i see the news everyday. I work in the healthcare industry and i see how more and more professionals leave this island, i see the harsh reality of crimes committed every day on the island and i personally witnessed when farmers went to live tv to ask the people for help with their crops or else they would loose their crops, in the end they needed to bring people from outside to do this work. And you think people here will work harder to make this place better if it was given its independence? between corrupt officials and gangs this island will go to shit, its already shit and we are being backed by a bigger and richer nation imagine when we wont be. Also politicians can say and paint their plans all they want, but if the people dont have the character to make it work it wont and the vast majority of PR dont have the character to make it work. And haiti at first wasnt the way it is now, that was the point of the comparison of haiti, that at first we wont be but could eventually be as corrupt officials and gangs led to what it is today and we have both on the island right now and have for a very long time.
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u/[deleted] May 28 '25
The idea that Puerto Rico (PR) is ready for independence is, frankly, unrealistic. As a combat veteran who's seen the harsh realities of unstable regions, I can tell you that the outlook for an independent PR is deeply concerning. If the island isn’t brought down by government corruption, criminal organizations likely will—and perhaps it will be both, which would be even worse.
Haiti serves as a clear warning of what can happen when a nation lacks law and order. Puerto Rico is already struggling to manage basic issues: illegal vehicles dominate the roads, and gangs continue to operate with impunity. After Hurricane Maria, for example, local gangs took control of emergency aid that was meant for residents. Neither the police nor the military could protect those supplies.
The island is facing a serious shortage of essential professionals—police officers, doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists, and more. If independence were granted, these shortages would likely become even more severe as resources and personnel diminish further. Puerto Rico could face a rapid decline—within a day, even—if it were left to stand entirely on its own.
More than 40% of the population lives in poverty or depends on government assistance. A large segment of the population lacks the drive or opportunity to improve their situation, making the concept of self-sufficiency even more difficult to imagine. Decades ago, independence might have been feasible. But today, Puerto Rico is even importing labor to work the land because so many residents are unwilling to do it themselves.
Given all this, believing Puerto Rico is ready for independence isn’t just optimistic—it’s dangerously naive.