PUERTO RICO NEWS REPORT 

M.A. Dworkin USVI - The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has agreed to meet with Governor Albert Bryan Jr. to address concerns over recent orders affecting the M/V Water Spirit II and BVI M/V Admirals Pride, two cargo vessels that help move food, refrigerated goods, vehicles, appliances, construction materials, industrial parts, and other essential items between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The issue involves Captain of the Port orders issued on April 30, 2026, directing

M.A. Dworkin San Juan, PR - Coast Guard Sector San Juan announced Saturday, May 9, 2026, that Captain of the Port Orders were issued to two Togo-flagged multipurpose offshore vessels for obstructing the navigable San Antonio Channel of San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, while moored at Pier 10, May 1, 2026. Until further notice, vessels Water Spirit 2 and Admiral Pride will not be cleared to re-enter San Juan Harbor unless they demonstrate to the Coast Guard their ability t

The History of the Puerto Rican Flag John F. McKeon A national flag is more than a cut of fabric or hue of color; it is the embodiment of a nation's history and of its values. A flag serves as a testament to collective struggles, triumphs, and aspirations, and represents the shared identity and sovereignty of its people. Through symbolism, flags encapsulate the sacrifices of the past while providing a unifying beacon for future generations. Throughout its complex hist

M.A. Dworkin San Juan - There is a growing movement in Puerto Rico to break away from the United States and rejoin Spain, more than a century after it parted ways with the European country. There are currently several proposals spearheaded by a movement called Adelante Reunificacionistas, that may sound fringe at first, but its message is gaining quite a bit of traction in the hinterlands of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico fell under U.S. sovereignty in 1898 following the Spanish

M.A. Dworkin San Juan, PR - The U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) has approved a $2.5 billion project to build a 150km, 700 MW HVDC submarine cable that will link the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, allowing Puerto Rico to import electricity from a new Dominican natural gas plant. The project, which recently received a Presidential permit from the U.S. Department of Energy, is expected to start construction in 2027 and be completed in 2031. It will integrate both th

John F. McKeon It is impossible to analyze the modern status of Puerto Rico as a US territory without first establishing the pivotal context of the Spanish-American War of 1898, as this conflict represents the definitive rupture in the island’s history that shifted its sovereignty from Spain to the United States. The war, culminating in the Treaty of Paris in December 1898, directly forced Spain to cede Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the US, transforming Puerto Ri

John F. McKeon The Puerto Rican independence movement is one of the longest standing anti-colonial struggles in the Western Hemisphere, spanning over 150 years across two different imperial powers. From the 19th-century revolts against Spain to modern-day political alliances, the movement has consistently sought full sovereignty for the island. Isolated historical events are rare, as history functions more like a cascading chain reaction. One development inevitably infor

M.A. Dworkin Havana, Cuba - As Cuba continues to deteriorate both economically and socially, due to the strangling effects of the U.S. oil blockade, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canal has confirmed that his government is in talks with the Trump Administration to find solutions to the two countries’ differences. “Not having fuel enter the country in the past three months, there has been a gradual decline of diesel and fuel oil reserves,” Diaz-Canal said. “Given this, the

John F. McKeon For three decades, Section 936 of the US Internal Revenue Code served as the linchpin of Puerto Rico’s industrial strategy, reportedly transforming the island into a manufacturing hub by allowing US corporations to repatriate profits nearly tax-free. Section 936 (also known as the Possession Tax Credit) was a provision in our tax code enacted in 1976 ostensibly to encourage business investment in Puerto Rico and other US territories. The provision successfully