Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is an island in the Caribbean Sea. It is a territory of the United States, having been taken from Spain in the Spanish-American War.

Industries include pharmaceutical and rum production.

Citizenship

for the first 19 years of United States hegemony over Puerto Rico Puerto Ricans weren't citizens of the United States. It was only in 1917, when Congress passed the Jones-Shafroth Act, that Puerto Rico was made an official territory of Puerto Rico, and some Puerto Ricans became US citizens. However, that citizenship was limited to those who lived in Puerto Rico, in 1898, and there were limits to their citizenship. Later amendment extended citizenship to those born in Puerto Rico, after it was annexed.

Debt

For many decades Puerto Rico has faced massive debt.

The United States Congress's Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act of 2016 (PROMESA) imposed harsh fiscal controls on Puerto Rico.

Statehood

Individuals born in Puerto Rico are entitled to birth-right citizenship in the United States. If they move to one of the fifty states of the United States, they are entitled to vote for a Congressional Representative in the district where they live, and are entitled to vote for candidates for their state's Senator. But citizens of the United States, living in Puerto Rico do not send legislators to Congress, and do not vote in Presidential elections.

Those who comment on Puerto Rico's future political status see Three basic choices:

choice	what changes	what stays the same	what remains unclear
remain a territory	Puerto Rico remains subject to fiscal controls, imposed by Washington	Puerto Ricans who move to a US states enjoy full US citizenship	It s unclear if Puerto Rico can ever clear its crippling degt.
statehood	Puerto Ricans, living in Puerto Rico, will receive additional service, like improved Medicare
independence	Those born in Puerto Rico are no longer entitled to birth-right citizenship. Puerto Rican no longer eligible for Federal programs. Puerto Rico is left to handle the massive debt incurred when it was run by the USA on its own (Some) of those living in Puerto Rica will become citizens of Puerto Rico		Some commentators suggest that, while the USA allows joint citizenship, individuals who choose to continue to live in Puerto Rico should be stripped of US citizenship Will those born in Puerto Rico, but residing in the USA, become Puerto Rican citizens? Will they get special access for applying for Puerto Rican citizenship? Will senior citizens, who were receiving a US Social Security pension lose their pensions?