The governor of Puerto Rico pleaded for President-elect Trump to intrude after Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro threatened to invade the U.S. island territory.
In a letter addressed to Trump, Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón mentioned, “[J]ust a couple of days after retaining an illegitimate swearing-in rite in a determined try to grasp to energy in Venezuela,” Maduro “publicly proposed an invasion of Puerto Rico.”
Maduro, who was once sworn in for a 3rd six-year presidential time period in spite of global condemnation of his contemporary reelection as illegitimate, made the risk Saturday on the finish of the “Global Anti-Fascist Competition” hosted in Caracas. The socialist dictator made an obvious connection with Trump’s remarks eyeing U.S. control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, pointing out: “Simply because the North has an time table of colonization, we now have an time table of liberation.” Maduro vowed that the “freedom of Puerto Rico is pending, and we will be able to reach it with Brazilian troops,” in step with Latin The us Reviews.
“That is an open risk to the USA, our nationwide safety, and balance within the area,” González-Colón advised Trump. “I accept as true with your incoming management will rapidly reply and shed light on to the Maduro regime that, beneath your management, the USA, will give protection to American lives and sovereignty and won’t bow right down to the threats of petty, murderous dictators.”
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro delivers a speech in entrance of the presidential palace in Caracas on Jan. 10, 2025. (Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)
González-Colón, who took place of business simply previous this month, went on to mention that Puerto Rico has been an “very important a part of the USA” since 1898, and she or he reiterated how Puerto Ricans had been granted American citizenship in 1917 and “have contributed to each side of American existence, together with the masses of 1000’s of carrier individuals from the Island who’ve fought along our fellow electorate in each U.S. army war since Global Battle I.”
“Opposite to Maduro’s and different adversaries’ requires independence, the folks of Puerto Rico have time and again rejected this selection. As a substitute, we now have voted to give a boost to our union with the USA via statehood – maximum just lately within the November 5, 2024, plebiscite held along our normal elections,” González-Colón wrote, regarding the newest nonbinding referendum relating to Puerto Rico’s political status.
The effects confirmed 56.87% voted in want of U.S. statehood, whilst 12.29% opted for “loose affiliation with the USA.” In the meantime, 30.84% voted for independence.
The choice of preserving the island’s present standing as a U.S. territory, in addition to U.S. citizenship, was once no longer incorporated at the referendum poll.
González-Colón, a Republican and member of the pro-statehood New Innovative Birthday party, additionally reiterated how Puerto Rico is house to Fortress Buchanan – the one U.S. Military set up within the Caribbean – and Nationwide Guard amenities like Camp Santiago, Fortress Allen, and Muniz Air Nationwide Guard Base, “all of which strategically toughen workouts and operations performed via the U.S. army and our companions.” The letter went on to mention how Puerto Rico additionally hosts “vital U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Coverage property and devices that assist protected our borders and battle the drug trafficking networks that fund the Maduro narco-regime.”
Puerto Rico’s newly sworn-in Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón delivers her inaugural speech on the Capitol in San Juan on Jan. 2, 2025. (Ricardo Arduengo/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
She famous that the USA stocks a maritime boundary with Venezuela in Puerto Rico.
“Maduro’s requires an invasion are a transparent try to do away with the USA’ presence and develop his affect within the space,” González-Colón wrote, telling Trump that she’s “able to paintings with you and your management to counter this and different threats posed via the illegitimate Maduro dictatorship and toughen the folks of Venezuela of their quest for freedom.”
González-Colón additionally mentioned she seems to be ahead to significant discussions to “absolute best fortify Puerto Rico’s national security role and take a powerful stance in opposition to the rising presence of our adversaries within the area.”
Rep. Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart, R-Fla., recommended González-Colón’s “management in condemning the absurd and pathetic threats to Puerto Rico from Venezuela’s dictator – a dictator who’s desperately clinging to illegitimate energy.”
Supporters all through an inauguration rite for González-Colón on the Santa Catalina Palace in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 2, 2025. (Xavier Garcia/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs)
“What a distinction to the braveness and inspiration demonstrated via the Venezuelan other people and heroine María Corina Machado,” Díaz-Balart wrote. “With Biden within the White Area, adversaries comparable to the ones throughout the Maduro narco-dictatorship had been emboldened via his susceptible coverage of appeasement. However in lower than per week, a brand new overseas coverage will start the place freedom and U.S. nationwide safety pursuits are paramount. Buddies will likely be handled as pals, and adversaries as adversaries.”
“Maduro’s days are numbered,” the congressman added. “If the dictator in Venezuela does no longer need to finally end up like different dictators Mussolini and Gaddafi, he must go away Venezuela directly.”
When Maduro was once sworn in closing week, Biden defended his resolution to not fortify sanctions on Venezuela’s power sector, announcing he was once nervous it might have created a gap to be crammed via Iranian oil.
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In spite of sanctioning various Maduro officers, the management didn’t finish a license it granted oil massive Chevron to export Venezuelan oil to the U.S. That license has considerably boosted oil manufacturing, and state coffers, in consequence.
The Related Press contributed to this record.
