I've heard two different thoughts from Puerto Ricans.

Some want full statehood, and to be treated as any other state.

Others want full independance as it's own country.

Now opinions on which are back and forth, person to person. However EVERYONE agrees on one thing. The current system of being a territory only benefits tourists and capitolists. EVERYBODY hates the idea of being a territory.

Now, statehood or independance, which one is better for the people living there? Well, I feel like a middle aged white dude from Ohio shouldn't have a horse in that race. Especially since I've never even been there.

All that being said, I hope they find a better life through a better system. However that may come. Because the current system for them is clearly intentionally broken.

When people demonize arguments for Puerto Rican independence by claiming its unpopular you can't separate this from the decades of FBI terror and murder of independence activists which was successful in killing and jailing an actual movement and the poverty which forces massive flights of citizens to survive affecting the poor skewing the vote even more.

Complex topic. John Oliver does a good video on it https://youtu.be/Tt-mpuR_QHQ?si=_3KUtwkcnX-lbBWQ

Referendums on statehood have never passed in PR.

Unexpected side effect of Trump might be a huge boost for pro-independence parties

I feel this is pushing an idea that the people in question don't even agree with. My understanding is that PR has voted a slim majority on joining the US as a state, with a lot of controversy on the wording. So why bring it up if they don't want it? Otherwise, yeah If they want ~~citizenship~~ representation in US government, they should get the appropriate reps and senators. EDITED

No TaXaTiOn WiThOuT rEpReSeNtAtIoN