The 2024 presidential election can still shape Puerto Rico

Both with the 2024 presidential election and the elections of Puerto Rican governors quickly approaching, the citizens of the Caribbean island again found themselves in a delicate position and in the headlines. Donald Trump’s latest rally was filled with the kind of hatred we expect. However, the Latinos and Puerto Rico were specifically distinguished this time, with the actor Tony Hinchcliffe comparing the island to a “floating battery of waste” after commenting that the Latin “does not withdraw”. Not only did these comments alienated the Porto Ricans, but they also seem to have strengthened support for the vice -president Kamala Harris among the community, because barely a few hours later, she received the end -of -game mentions of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and the current global phenomenon Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio – Aka Bad Bunny. And while the “largest star in the world” self -proclaimed is not unrelated to political action, before its approval, its efforts had been more focused on the stormy race for the governor’s seat on the island.

At the beginning of the month at Porto Rico, the drivers who pass on the highways of San Juan were welcomed by a surprising political message which pulled no punch: “Quien vota pnp, no ama a Puerto Rico”, which in English translates, “anyone who votes for the PNP does not like Puerto Rico”. The display panel was accompanied by two other people around the municipality with messages just as condemning for the PNP, the Puerto Rican Political Party for the re -election of the Governor in November.

At the beginning, messages only seemed to be another political game cycle by outsiders challengers who seek to turn the wave of elections against the holder. It was later revealed that advertisements were the work of Bad Bunny. Freshly out of the release of his politically loaded single “Una Velita”, the Porto Rican Reggaetonero threw his goal on the power party of Puerto Rico. And now he has entered American politics hoping to influence the other half of the equation that determines the future of Puerto Rico.

But to understand what is at stake and why Bad Bunny’s attack on PNP and Harris approval are so important, you have to understand what has happened in Puerto Rico in the past seven years. In 2017, the island was decimated by Hurricane Maria. Nearly 3,000 Puerto Ricans lost their lives, 97% of the island’s electricity network was destroyed, and the inept response of local and American governments has seen emergency funds that are not allocated or overwhelmed by the Trump administration.

The frustration of these events led to the eviction of the Governor in disgrace and the child of the PNP poster Ricardo Roselló in 2019. But the victory of his opponents was short -lived. In one way or another, the majority of Puerto Ricans were not sufficiently tired to do so by their own government and elected Pedro Pierluisi, also PNP, as governor in 2020. During all this time, the island’s electric grid continued to weaken. The power outages continue to be the standard, sometimes leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity for days, and the islanders have seen their energy costs soar. If you have been on Tiktok lately, you have seen that island schools are in ruins.

So, in the elections in 2024, there is a current of frustration that has boiled for seven long years. And Bad Bunny is far from being the only artist on the island using his platform to ask for the change. Artists like Resident and Rauw Alejandro were also expressed in wanting to see the end of a bipartite dichotomy of the PNP and the PPD. The two artists support the newly formed Party La Alianza, a left alliance between the two anti-colonial parties, the PIP and MVC. Others, like the future superstar Rainao, brought themselves to social media to animate young people and give messages of hope while highlighting the fear of fear and dirty politics.

But even as they do, a bigger question is looming on the horizon because it does not matter who wins this election, the future of Puerto Rico as a state, colony or independent nation depends on the relations of the island with the United States and whoever leads it. And this is an election that Puerto Ricans on the island can only look and wait for the result. This is why Anuel and Nicky Jam who came out in support of Donald Trump – even so far to his rallies – has been a big problem.

Puerto Ricans on the island cannot vote. But the diaspora on the continent can. The policies that the President of the United States develops may have more impact on the quality of life on the island than those established by the local government. For example, in 2023, when a group of Puerto Rican journalists demanded that the financial and management financial council – an American entity that supervises and approves questions related to the colony budget – makes information relating to financial reports, communications and other important economic data available to the people, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the board of directors could have “sovery immunity”. He therefore did not have to comply with the demand. Although the board of directors has reduced the overall debt to a significant amount, it did it at a high cost for people, with austerity measures that have had an impact on public services, as well as the health programs funded by the federal government across the island.

So yes, no matter what is happening during the island’s elections, nothing will change overnight. The United States still hold a lot of cards. But the grip of the PNP and the PDP on the power only digs the island more deeply in the debt, more deeply in ruins, and more deeply in the pockets of foreigners who come to give nothing and take everything. He gave no possibility for a clean political slate. And if we can clean the house, remove corrupt politicians and put the country on the track, then we will be able to negotiate our ultimate political fate of a position of power.

Puerto Rico is the oldest colony in the world. Since 1493, we have gone from one colonial suzerain to another, our resources have been taken to enrich everyone, except our own citizens, looking at our sisters colonies all affected the reality of independence which has always escaped us. These last elections will not change the course of Puerto Rico fate overnight, but in the long term, they will decide if things improve or worse. With a Harris presidency, we obtain a democratic president who is more likely to listen to a Puerto Rican base which largely follows the Democrats. A Trump presidency almost guarantees that the way Puerto Rico was treated by its colonizer continues. Meanwhile, on the island, an PNP victory essentially guarantees that Puerto Rican life continues on the descending spiral it has been for decades. But if Alianza wins, it might not solve all our problems. This could solve the problem of our status. But that gives us a chance to progress, the possibility of entering the future written by Puerto Rican hands.

Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latin identity and culture. He does everything, from exclusive interviews to Latin music artists to opinion plays on questions relevant to the community, personal tests linked to his Latinidad, and parts and characteristics of thought relating to the Puerto Rico and Porto Rican culture.