Whereas information tales within the U.S. and Puerto Rico have been stuffed with outraged responses to the racist “joke” made at Donald Trump’s Madison Sq. Backyard rally final Sunday calling Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage,” there was fairly a bit of dialogue about how this will or could not tip the presidential election, given the variety of Puerto Ricans in key swing states.
What hasn’t been explored a lot by mainland U.S. media is the impression it could have on the vital gubernatorial election on the island, the place the race has shifted considerably up to now few months. Main candidate Jenniffer González-Colón is being challenged by Juan Dalmau, a third-party candidate who has upended the race and is simply 2 proportion factors behind within the newest ballot.
Writer and journalist Javier A. Hernandez wrote an in depth profile of Dalmau for LA Progressive on Oct 24, 2024, previous to the debacle at Madison Sq. Backyard, which happened on Sunday, Oct 27. It’s titled “Juan Dalmau Ramirez: A Bold New Future for Puerto Rico”:
As Puerto Rico approaches its November fifth election, it stands at a important juncture in its political historical past. Juan Dalmau Ramírez, the gubernatorial candidate of the Puerto Rican Independence Social gathering (PIP), has teamed up with the Residents Victory Motion (MVC) in a groundbreaking electoral alliance. If profitable, Dalmau Ramírez will make historical past as Puerto Rico’s first pro-independence governor, providing a transparent various to the two-party dominance of the pro-statehood New Progressive Social gathering (PNP) and the pro-status quo Well-liked Democratic Social gathering (PPD). His candidacy represents a viable effort to disrupt a long time of corruption, colonial governance, and financial stagnation.
Dalmau Ramírez isn’t any newcomer to Puerto Rican politics. Dalmau, a former senator, serves as Secretary Common of the PIP and has lengthy advocated for sovereignty, financial growth, and self-determination. With a legislation diploma from Harvard and a repute for being approachable and well-versed in Puerto Rico’s most urgent points, Dalmau has garnered widespread help, notably amongst younger voters longing for change. His imaginative and prescient facilities on breaking away from the colonial established order to construct a future primarily based on sovereignty, democracy, and sustainability.
The PIP/MVC Alliance: A Problem to the Standing Quo
Dalmau’s alliance with the MVC represents a direct problem to the entrenched PNP and PPD, which have alternated in energy for over 50 years. Each events are continuously embroiled in scandal, corruption, and federal investigations. A key focus of the PIP/MVC Alliance is their opposition to the Fiscal Management Board (FCB), an unelected physique imposed by the U.S. Congress below the PROMESA Act to supervise Puerto Rico’s funds. Dalmau sees the FCB as an undemocratic entity that prioritizes overseas collectors over Puerto Rican residents and has pledged to take away it, restoring Puerto Rico’s financial sovereignty.
Political Science professor Jenaro Abraham wrote “Puerto Ricans are finally taking out the trash” for The Puerto Rican Independence Report:
On Sunday October twenty seventh, comic Tony Hinchcliffe, serving because the opening act at a Trump rally, referred to as Puerto Rico an “island of garbage.”
Within the US, Republicans scrambled to save lots of face for the egregious remark, whereas Democrats tried to attain political factors by pinning the remark to Trump’s causal racism, in gentle of the upcoming election. However on the island, Puerto Ricans had been busy filling the streets of their help for gubernatorial candidate Juan Dalmau, secretary normal of the Puerto Rican Independence Social gathering (PIP).
[…]
Some conservative information retailers in Puerto Rico have Mr. Dalmau trailing the PNP governor candidate and Trump fanatic Jenniffer Gonzalez by a mere 2 factors, whereas others have Mr. Dalmau up by a number of. Aiding this uptick in help for the PIP are artists similar to Dangerous Bunny, Residente, Kany Garcia, and Ricky Martin, who’ve thrown their weight behind Alianza candidates. Extra help has additionally come from Puerto Rican politicians within the US similar to AOC and Nydia Velazquez.
With caravans of hundreds of automobiles making their means from one aspect of the principle island to the opposite, one of many central messages of La Alianzahas been uprooting colonial corruption, which for Puerto Ricans which primarily, and coincidentally means “taking out the trash.”
Folks not aware of the political events on the Island are sometimes confused by the truth that PR additionally has a Democratic Social gathering and a Republican one, whose members can vote within the U.S. primaries however not within the presidential election on the mainland. The “New Progressive Party” is not progressive, and has members who’re right-wing Republicans. They’re thought-about the pro-statehood celebration and have mainland alliances with each Democrats and Republicans who help statehood. I lined a few of these complexities right here in March of 2024 in “Caribbean Matters: The winds of political change are blowing in Puerto Rico.”
This story launched Dalmau and was adopted up with a narrative on the island’s gubernatorial major titled “Caribbean Matters: US media ignores Puerto Rico’s June gubernatorial primary.”
After the Trump rally furor, PopSugar posted a narrative by Puerto Rican journalistMiguel Machado titled “How the 2024 Presidential Election Could Shape Puerto Rico’s Future”:
With each the 2024 Presidential election and the Puerto Rican Gubernatorial election quickly approaching, residents of the Caribbean island as soon as once more discovered themselves in a fragile place and within the headlines. Donald Trump’s newest rally was stuffed with the sort of hate we have come to count on. Nevertheless, Latinos and Puerto Rico had been particularly singled out this time, with comic Tony Hinchcliffe evaluating the island to a “floating pile of trash” after commenting that Latines “don’t pull out.” Not solely did these feedback alienate Puerto Ricans, however in addition they appear to have bolstered help for Vice President Kamala Harris among the many group, as solely hours later, she obtained late-game endorsements from Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and present international phenomenon Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — AKA Dangerous Bunny. And whereas the self-proclaimed “biggest star in the world” isn’t any stranger to political motion, previous to his endorsement, his efforts had been extra centered on the heated race for the governor’s seat on the island.
[…]
Puerto Ricans on the island cannot vote. However the diaspora on the mainland can. The insurance policies that the president of the USA units can have extra of an impression on the standard of life on the island than those set by the native authorities. For instance, in 2023, when a gaggle of Puerto Rican journalists demanded that the Monetary Oversight and Administration Board — a US entity that oversees and approves issues associated to the colony’s price range — make info regarding monetary stories, communications, and different vital financial information accessible to the individuals, the US Supreme Courtroom dominated that the board may have “sovereign immunity.” It, subsequently, didn’t need to adjust to the request. Whereas the board has diminished the total debt by a big quantity, it has carried out so at a excessive price to the individuals, with austerity measures which have impacted public companies, in addition to federally funded healthcare applications throughout the island.
So sure, it doesn’t matter what occurs through the island’s elections, nothing will change in a single day. The US nonetheless holds quite a lot of the playing cards. However the PNP and PDP’s grip on energy has carried out nothing however dig the island deeper into debt, deeper into disrepair, and deeper into the pockets of foreigners who come giving nothing and taking the whole lot. It has not offered any alternative for a clear political slate. And if we will clear home, take away corrupt politicians, and put the nation on a path ahead, then we’ll have the ability to negotiate our final political destiny from a place of energy.
It is going to be fascinating to see whether or not or not the present furor over the racist remarks made on the Trump rally are going to have an effect on the end result of the shut race between González-Colón and Dalmau.
Puerto Rican reggaeton star and rapper Dangerous Bunny has over 45 million Instagram followers, and main mainland papers like The New York Occasions reported on his response to the Trump rally and the way his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris could impression our presidential race. The article is titled “Bad Bunny Responds to Racist Remarks at Trump Rally With a Message of Puerto Rican Pride”:
In an Instagram submit Dangerous Bunny captioned merely “garbage” — an allusion to the comic Tony Hinchcliffe’s feedback about Puerto Rico being a “floating island of garbage” — the favored musician shared a beforehand unpublished eight-minute introductory video from his 2021 sold-out stadium live performance in San Juan that highlights, in Spanish, the delight he feels for the island. The dramatic montage options narration citing Puerto Rico’s “kings and queens and champions” in sports activities, politics and leisure, together with Roberto Clemente, Míriam Colón, Sonia Sotomayor, Lin Manuel Miranda and Dangerous Bunny himself.
“We are the definition of heart and resistance,” Dangerous Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez, wrote in an announcement that closes the video. “For those who forget who we are,” the assertion continues, “don’t worry, we will proudly remind them.”
Right here’s his video:
However what concerning the election on the island?
Right here’s a submit on polling within the governor’s race, pre-rally:
Puerto Ricans supporting Dalmau have been fast to deliver receipts for González-Colón’s latest denunciation of the rubbish remarks, reminding everybody of her allegiance to Trump and that she was the previous chair of “Latinos for Trump.”
González-Colón’s hyperlinks to Mission 2025 have additionally been documented:
Information applications on the island are placing her on the spot:
Translation:
#Decisión2024 Jenniffer González didn’t reply as we speak as to if she would reiterate her help for Donald Trump after the “trash” remark towards Puerto Rico. She additionally most well-liked to not advocate to Puerto Ricans in the USA whether or not they need to vote for the Republican candidate. #NotiCentro
Editorial cartoonists like Kike Estrada of “PlanetaKike” are pointedly connecting González-Colón to the rubbish remarks and Trump. She’s drawn right here driving a GOP elephant.
Translation:
A floating rubbish island
“Jenniffer Gonzalez supports Trump in this movement. She wants you to vote on a lying Presidential ballot for these people”
Will the racist rally and assaults on Puerto Ricans make a distinction? I don’t know, however I hope so. Our future goes to be within the fingers of voters on Tuesday, Nov. 5, as is the intertwined destiny of Puerto Ricans. I’m trying ahead to victory for each Kamala Harris and Juan Dalmau.
Be a part of me within the feedback part under for updates, and for the weekly Caribbean Information roundup.
