Puerto Rico’s future is often framed as a choice between courage and fear. But that framing ignores a critical distinction. Autonomy is not an untested idea—it is a constitutional status Puerto Rico already possessed, one that was democratically exercised and then interrupted. Independence, by contrast, has never been implemented in Puerto Rico’s modern history and would require rebuilding essential systems from the ground up. This is not a question of ideals, but of responsibility: which path preserves stability while restoring self-government, and which asks the population to absorb the risks of starting over? The question is not whether change is needed—but which change carries the greater risk.

Did you know that Puerto Rico once had its own constitution—completely unrelated to the United States?

Before the U.S. invasion in 1898, Puerto Rico was already a self-governing political entity. In 1897, the island was granted the 1897 Autonomic Constitution (Constitución Autonómica) by royal decree, establishing an elected Puerto Rican government, its own parliament, control over internal affairs, and recognition of Puerto Ricans as political citizens—not colonial subjects.

This constitution was not temporary, experimental, or symbolic. It was legally binding and could only be altered with the consent of Puerto Rico itself.

When the United States invaded in 1898, that constitution was ignored, suspended, and never restored—without a vote, without consent, and without international consultation.

Puerto Rico did not begin as a U.S. possession. It lost a constitution before it was ever allowed to gain another.

La mayoría de la gente sabe que Puerto Rico no puede votar por el presidente de Estados Unidos. Saben que no tenemos representación con voto en el Congreso ni en el Senado.

Pero lo que muchos no entienden es que los puertorriqueños estamos doblemente privados de derechos.

En la isla, no podemos votar por el presidente ni por el Congreso. No hay representación. No hay voz.

Luego, muchos somos forzados a irnos— por la crisis económica, los huracanes, la austeridad y la inestabilidad— para sobrevivir y apoyar a nuestras familias desde Estados Unidos.

¿Y qué ocurre entonces?

Perdemos el derecho a votar sobre el futuro de Puerto Rico. No se nos permite votar en los plebiscitos de estatus.

Mientras tanto, otros hispanos que viven en Estados Unidos pueden votar en las elecciones de sus países de origen simplemente yendo a su embajada.

Esa es la ironía. Esa es la injusticia.

No estamos hablando de personas que nunca vivieron en Puerto Rico. Estamos hablando de puertorriqueños desplazados.

Golpeados una vez en la isla. Golpeados otra vez en el exilio.

Esto tiene que cambiar. Los puertorriqueños—vivan donde vivan— deben tener el derecho a votar por el estatus y el futuro de su país.