His colleague Marco Rubio has been urging colleagues to keep an open mind but is not yet on record backing the Soto-Gonzlez bill. At night here, its almost as if we had no curfew," Lpez told WKAQ. Earlier during the pandemic, most instances of community spread on the island could be linked to Puerto Ricos main airport, mainly from mainland Puerto Ricans traveling to the island, Ramos said. Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE to report suspicious activityReport Crime, Learn facts about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE identifies and apprehends removable noncitizens, detains these individuals and removes illegal noncitizens from the United States. U.S. Discover Puerto Ricos chief executive officer, Brad Dean, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the organizations desire to showcase the islands unique culture to visitors. If passed, the bill, modeled on the admission process for Hawaii and Alaska, would trigger one last in/out referendum in Puerto Rico, whichif it passedwould create the 51st state. The political future of Puerto Rico has been hotly debated for decades. In the song, iLewho lent her voice to protests in 2021 that led to the resignation of Puerto Rico's governorsings: "Everybody who attacks me I devour / Like a lioness hunting / I'm fed . 2021 News is My Business. PEDRO SANTAMARIA. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company announced this week that it launched an English-language educational campaign to alert tourists of the island's Covid-19 restrictions and the consequences of not following the rules. Carmona Serrano was charged June 3, 2020, with attempted murder by. Marshal Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra announces the arrest of Juan Sierra Jimenez, a dangerous fugitive and main suspect of a shooting that left five people dead. Puerto Rico has fully vaccinated just over 73% of its 3.3 million residents, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Within its first six months, the campaign reached 36 million households, resulting in an increase in travelers familiarity and positive perception of Puerto Rico, leading to record visitation numbers, lodging income, tax revenue and jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector in 2022. Then, in December 2019, an earthquake sequence began shaking southwest Puerto Rico, destroying homes and devastating a region with some of the island's poorest towns, and displacing residents . At this point, the better question may be whether it can get 50 votes, from Democrats. The overall unemployment rate in Puerto Rico in April 2021 was 8.4 percent, and since May 2020 has ranged between 8.3 - 9.3 percent of the labor force. That's more than 2.3 million people. While Florida, like many states in the South, has seen high infection rates and troubling death counts, Puerto Rico has been . We are very honored with this recognition, he said. Experts and residents worry that tourists unwillingness to follow Covid-19 measures could reverse the island's successful efforts at containing the virus. One straightforward solutionsome sayis to restructure things by adding more states. Anyone who says Puerto Rico is automatically a Democratic state is just not being honest and probably just doing a dog whistle for their base.. One thing the islands factions can probably agree on, from the strongest statehood supporters to the most ardent nationalists, is that framing Puerto Ricos future in terms of what it means for partisan control of Congress is not exactly helpful. It does seem likely that Puerto Rico would be a mostly blue state for the time being. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Olga D. Wagenheim, et al., "Puerto Rico," britannica.com, June 5, 2021: 30. One of the most viral videos showed a tourist riding a scooter in the middle of a busy highway in San Juan, the capital city. Adaily email update of the stories you need to read right now. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. All rights reserved. On March 22, 2021 Puerto Rico Violent Offenders Task Force and Puerto Rico Police Bureau agents located the residence of Sierra Jimenez in the Jardines de Selle public housing project, where he was placed under arrest without incident. Learn how this Colegio Lourdes student is connecting with coaches in PR and nationwide. In 2019 came a protest movement leading to the resignation of Gov. One of the major damages that colonialism does to you is the fear of making final decisions, says journalist and historian Pedro Reina-Prez. On January 7, 2020, the Southern District of New York issued an arrest U.S. The indictment alleges that from in or about the year 2016, to the date of the return of the indictment, the drug trafficking organization distributed cocaine base (commonly known as crack), heroin, cocaine, and marihuana, within 1,000 feet of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Public Housing Project (PHP), and other areas in the municipality of Mayagez, all for financial gain and profit. According to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), the main suspect was Juan Sierra Jimenez. An official website of the United States government. It is an unincorporated US territory. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico On March 10, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 30 violent gang members with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and aiding and abetting in the possession/distribution of controlled substances, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The administration plans to release $1.3 billion that was meant to help Puerto Rico rebuild after Hurricane Maria in 2017, and will remove restrictions on another $4.9 billion. In 48 hours, they received $10,000. As a member of Congress, I should not interfere with that process. Marshals Arrest Top 10 Most Wanted in Puerto Rico Despite growing public support for Puerto Rican statehood, the bills chances seem slim. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. All defendants in crime reports are presumed innocent until proven guilty. An official website of the United States government. The island has been a semi-independent commonwealth since 1952, but the U.S. Congressin which Puerto Rico does not have a votestill exercises significant control over its political affairs. 140 Carlos Chardon AvenueHato Rey, PR 00918(787) 987-6500, Municipalities covered: Aguas Buenas, Arecibo, Barceloneta, Bayamn, Caguas, Canovanas, Carolina, Catao, Cayey, Ciales, Cidra, Comerio, Corozal, Dorado, Florida, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Loiza, Manati, Morovis, Naranjito, San Juan, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, and Utuado. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Two New York representatives of Puerto Rican descentVelzquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezare about to introduce their own competing bill, the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pedro R. Casablanca and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Yanira Coln-Garca from the Puerto Rico Department of Justice are in charge of the prosecution of the case. Even as Puerto Rico has lingered in the stasis of commonwealth status, it has been through an extraordinarily tumultuous few years materially and politically. You can report suspicious activities and crime by contacting your local FBI office 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Hartford police worked with U.S. Why Ketanji Brown Jackson Split With the Courts Liberals in a 54 Decision. The smaller Independence Party advocates for a complete break from the U.S. (A newly formed left-wing party, the Citizens Victory Movement, aims to distinguish itself by intentionally downplaying the statehood question.). First Federal Law Enforcement Agency. He may also be facing some pressure from Puerto Rican voters in New York, where support for statehood tends to be lower than it is in Floridathe other major center of the Puerto Rican population on the mainland. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. During the meeting, residents said they witnessed instances in which the police "did not say anything" to misbehaving tourists or saw tourists continue to ignore Covid-19 protocols after police confronted them. During the debate over statehood for Alaska in the 1950s, the assumption was that the state would be Democratic, and indeed its first two elected senators were Democrats. from S/NY, the PRVOTF assumed the lead on the investigation. On October 14, 2019 a drug related shootout took place in the Ramos Antonini public housing project where five people were shot and killed. Get FBI email alerts Gov. With two new bills in Congress that seek to resolve Puerto Ricos status in very different ways, the debate is likely about to heat up, and it may break down along some unusual ideological lines. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernndez, Chief of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Linet Surez are in charge of the prosecution of the case. Marshals Office of Public Affairs (703) 740-1699. Thats for the people of Puerto Rico to determine, she says. 02.28.2023 It was the sixth time a vote on the islands status had been held, but this one differed from its predecessors by only including two optionsyes to statehood, or no. He also dismisses the enhanced commonwealth idea, which would probably require a constitutional amendment, as a Mickey Mouse Fantasy Land.. Thanks for signing up! 2021, after a year-long investigation the PRVOTF located the residence The island has. ", Those visits have an impact on our economy," Pierluisi said. (This was at least an improvement over the 2017 referendum, which was boycotted by the opposition and only got 23 percent turnout.) Officials said he was wanted in connection with a 2019 homicide in Puerto Rico. Being just a two-hour flight from Miami, it's easy to get to. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. In the summer of 2021, Padilla Dalmau and Graulau launched 9 Millones' crowdfunding platform with a call for donations to support a story Graulau wanted to produce about overdevelopment in Puerto Rico that was endangering natural resources. Still, most Republicans dont seem in a hurry to take a chance. Tour San Juan for shopping and sightseeing alongside colorful buildings and cobblestone streets. Ned Lamont and General Assembly leaders to to focus on offsetting a potential property tax Armageddon. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Puerto Rico QuickFacts Table (a) Includes persons reporting only one race (c) Economic Census - Puerto Rico data are not comparable to U.S. Economic Census data (b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories Investigators said Lopez-Alameda fled Puerto Rico after the April 2019 homicide, obtained a stolen social security card and assumed the identity of Radames Negron Gonzalez.. Part of the argument for admitting Hawaii at the same time was that it was more Republican-leaning and would balance things out. Resident Agencies. In 1989, President George H.W. If we deny the capacity of the people of Puerto Rico to move forward in the process, what you have is a minority imposing a continued territory that everyone on the island recognizes as dysfunctional and undemocratic, he says. under arrest without incident. "The Marshals will continue to work closely with our state local law enforcement partners to make our streets and communities safer.". Opponents also say the vote was a stunt by the PNP to bring its supporters to the polls for the governors election happening the same day. In Puerto Rico, however, things are more complicated. The co-conspirators of the gang used force, violence, and intimidation to maintain control of the areas in which they operated. "I don't have a problem with people trying to have a good time, but they have to be respectful. Marshals Service said. Even Joe Manchin, the Senates swing vote and previously a Puerto Rico statehood skeptic, now at least says hes open to the idea. emailStay Connected Puerto Rico is a large Caribbean island of roughly 3,500 square miles located in the West Indies. And . Statehood opponents say the vote was invalidit wasnt recognized by the U.S. Department of Justiceand point out that turnout was low, at less than 55 percent. Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. Carmona Serrano was charged June 3, 2020, with attempted murder by Puerto Rico authorities after he shot at a police officer during a traffic stop. We aim to create a special connection that will lead them to return to our destination.. The .gov means its official. Marshal Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra. Were seeing a chaotic situation, something we havent seen before, Oscar Medina, a San Juan resident, told WKAQ, the local TV news station from NBC's sister network Telemundo in Puerto Rico. Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC News Digital. "This is a clear statement to all fugitives from the law," said U.S. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The credit union industry continues to perform very well and figures for the financial stability index show a stable behavior.. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico On March 29, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six-count indictment charging 25 gang members with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and aiding and abetting in the possession/distribution of controlled substances, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. U.S. Tara O'Neill was formerly a breaking news reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. In most municipios it has remained at or below 10 percent, but in many interior mountain areas it is a whopping 10-20 percent. March 20, 2021, 3:00 AM PDT By Nicole Acevedo Scenes of American tourists violating Covid-19 measures and mandates while visiting Puerto Rico have stirred indignation among residents worried. Pedro Pierluisi. On March 22, 2021 Puerto Rico Violent Offenders Task Force and Puerto Rico Police Bureau agents located the residence of Sierra Jimenez in the Jardines de Selle public housing project, where he was placed under arrest without incident. Published by Teresa Romero , Jun 22, 2022. Top 10 most wanted in the District of Puerto Rico. Republicans themselves have historically been divided on the question of Puerto Ricos status. Some co-conspirators collected the profits from the drug trafficking sales and traveled within the municipality of Mayagez and other areas nearby to deliver the proceeds to the leaders of the organization. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. But to Velzquez, the main point is that Congress should not be privileging one status option over another when its still a live debate on the island. It was the sixth time a vote on the island's status had been held, but this one differed from . The defendants had access to different vehicles to transport money, narcotics, and firearms.
