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Lawmakers open debate on Puerto Ricos status; independence and statehood positions reiterated
Summary
Opening speeches on June 11 included a forceful statement about Puerto Ricos colonial condition and a competing defense of statehood; legislators framed status questions as central to the islands political future and criticized the Fiscal Oversight Board.
At the start of the June 11 session, Representative ME1rquez LebrF3n used his initial turn to frame Puerto Ricos political situation as a century-old colonial problem, tracing plenary U.S. authority back to 1898 and citing Supreme Court bankruptcy and SE1nchez Valle decisions as evidence of federal plenary power. He urged non-colonial alternatives and defended independence as a legitimate legislative objective, saying the legislature "va a insistir en defender... la independencia de Puerto Rico".
In response, representatives aligned with the majority reiterated their support for statehood as the preferred resolution. The floor noted past plebiscitary results and competing partisan positions; a majority spokesperson defended the delegations intent to press for a binding consultation in Congress while warning against restoring what they described as a colonial arrangement.
Speakers identified the Fiscal Oversight Board (Junta de Control Fiscal) as a structural manifestation of the islands limited powers and used the opening speeches to set a political frame for the day's business. No formal action on status questions occurred during the session; remarks were floor statements that outline positions for future legislative and intergovernmental engagement.
