Colonial to the Core

This is how one of Jennifer González's many critics described her when the colonial governor of Puerto Rico reiterated that she was serious about her decision to erect a statue of Donald Trump "because he deserves it," a statement she gleefully reiterated in light of the aggression against the Venezuelan people and the kidnapping of the president and his wife.

González ignited controversy when Puerto Ricans, outraged by such subservience, responded that she should erect it in her own home, and another, even more furious, asserted that if this were to happen, Puerto Rico should be swallowed by the sea.

Previous island governors were surpassed by González in their servility, as she promoted the presence of the U.S. military that would participate in the aggression against the South American country. The drones involved in the criminal action were seen returning to Puerto Rico.

Thus, the governor of Puerto Rico launched herself headlong into the continental political arena by placing the island's soil at the disposal of the enemies of humanity for an invasion of Venezuela. Not happy with dragging the dignity of her own people under the colonial yoke, she turned Puerto Rico into a platform for imperialist aggression.

Instead of demanding sovereignty, González seeks medals of submission. In her verbal attacks against President Nicolás Maduro, the governor called him a “narco-dictator,” repeating Washington’s prefabricated phrases.

Maduro responded bluntly: “If you’re going to invade Venezuela, you come first.” With those words, the Venezuelan president exposed the absurdity and shamefulness of González’s attacks, clearly demonstrating her subservience to the empire and how far she is willing to go in sacrificing the dignity of her people.

It’s insulting she dares to speak of a dictatorship when she herself represents a territory subjected to a colonial regime for more than a century.

Puerto Rico does not elect its head of state, does not decide its foreign policy, does not manage its currency or its borders. In practice, it’s a colony masquerading as a "Commonwealth," trapped in a status that exposes Washington's hypocrisy and the complicity of politicians like her.

It’s no coincidence that her critics on the island define her as the most servile face of colonialism.

ALSO CORRUPT

The governor not only bears the weight of her political subservience. She also faces accusations of corruption, influence pushing, and shady favors for businesspeople who finance her campaigns. Her name has been linked to murky dealings in public contracts, nepotism scandals, and a style of governance that prioritizes personal gain over the collective interest.

But memory is not easily erased, and we invoke it at this moment to remember. When Puerto Rico was devastated by hurricanes, Donald Trump arrived to humiliate Puerto Ricans before the world, throwing rolls of toilet paper as if they were handouts.

That grotesque and cruel scene portrayed imperial contempt for a people struck by tragedy. González Far from raising her voice against this offense, she continued to pay homage to Trump, smiling at the executioner while her people wept amidst the rubble.

By offering Puerto Rico as a military base against Venezuela, the governor not only showed her contempt for Latin American sovereignty, but also for the dignity of her own people. Does she think Puerto Ricans want to become cannon fodder for Washington's interests? Or is she simply seeking to climb the ranks of the empire's favorites?

While Venezuela suffers blockades, sanctions, and threats that culminated in an aggression that could very well be repeated, Puerto Rico remains trapped in a shameful colonial condition, administered by politicians who refuse to fight for freedom. González, instead of being a voice of rebellion, is the spokesperson for surrendering.

The problem is not just her, but what she represents: a political class that survives in the shadow of its master, that does not seek to liberate its people, but rather to secure crumbs of power in a system that despises Puerto Rico as a nation. She prides herself on her access to Washington, but it has meant nothing but poverty, debt, and neglect for the island.

It's clear that the governor's rhetoric has nothing to do with democracy or freedom. It's pure subservience. It's the same old script: attacking the sovereign governments of Latin America to groom favor with imperial power.

She did it against Maduro, and she'll do it against any other country that raises its voice against the United States. Her policy isn't Puerto Rican: it's colonial to the core.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff